Pew poll shows Obama's approval hits new low on economy

Aamer Madhani | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans now disapprove of the way President Obama is handling his job, while Americans' assessment of the way he is handling the economy has hit a nadir for his nearly 5-year-old presidency, according to a new Pew Research Center poll published Friday.

Forty-one percent of those polled approve of how he's handling his job, while 53% disapprove. That's a 14-point drop since December, according to Pew.

Obama's job ratings on the economy have been underwater for more than four years, but the current measure is the worst of his presidency — 31% approve of the way Obama is handling the economy, and 65% disapprove.

The Pew survey, which was conducted Oct. 30-Nov. 6, found that majorities disapprove of the way the president is handling five of six issues tested. Terrorism was the lone exception, with 51% approving of his performance, and 44% disapproving. But even on terrorism, his ratings are lower than they were earlier this year, according to the poll.

Obama's slump resembles the trajectory of George W. Bush, who saw approval of his job performance rating tumble 12 points, from 48% in December 2004 to 36% at the same point in his presidency, according to Pew.

Also notable was Obama's considerable slide in the poll among those who identify themselves as independents.

Only 32% of independents approve of his job performance, while 61% disapprove. In December, 53% approved and 39% disapproved.

Like Bush, Obama retains broad support among members of his own party, though the share of Democrats who give him a positive job rating has fallen 10 points over the past year, from 88% to 78%.

Obama's job rating among Republicans, extremely low last December at 12%, has changed little since then.

The president, who has been battling the fallout from problems with the rollout of his signature health care law, received negative ratings on health care policy, with 37% approving of his performance and 59% disapproving.

The poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, was completed before Obama apologized in an NBC News interview Thursday that some Americans are losing their health insurance plans as a result of the Affordable Care Act, despite his repeated assurances over the past four years that Americans could keep their plans if they like them.

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