Fifth of Voters Tuning Out Presidential Election

About 20 percent of American voters are tuning out the presidential elections. A new CBS News poll found that 45 percent say they are paying a lot of attention to the election, 34 percent some attention, and 20 percent not much or none.

The poll of 1,218 adults including 1,051 registered voters conducted August 22 through 26 also found that 31 percent of Americans believe the country is headed in the right direction.

Some 70 percent say the economy is bad and more than 30 percent think it is getting worse. Despite the bad economic news, President Barack Obama’s supporters are more enthusiastic than those of GOP challenger Mitt Romney.

Some 59 percent of Obama’s supporters say they are enthusiastic compared to 35 percent of Romney’s. The poll found that Obama has a one-point lead over Romney in the presidential sweepstakes, ahead 46 to 45 percent.

Obama's job approval rating has increased four points from July and now is at 48 percent with a 43 percent disapproval rate. Some 52 percent believe Romney would do a better job handling the economy and jobs but Obama is seen as the candidate best able to help the middle class. Obama also is viewed as the person who would do better on same-sex marriage, abortion, terrorism and national security.