Latest Presidential Tracking Polls 2012

Net Approval for Obama's Handling of the Issues Dropping

7/22/2009, by Proloy Bhatta

HIGHLIGHTS

Compared to April, Obama's net approval on the issues has dropped an average of 17%.
Americans' impressions of Obama as a good leader has dropped 9% since April, 54% to 45%.
Obama's approval rating is 55%, lowest job approval rating average of two consecutive polls in the history of the Obama administration.

President Obama's bad polling days continue...

Handling of the Issues

Gfk Roper Public Affairs & Media conducted a poll of 1,006 adults from July 16-20 with regards to Obama's handling of thirteen different issues.

Issue	July [Approval, Disapproval]	April [Approval, Disapproval]
Economy	[50, 46]	[58, 35]
Situation in Iraq	[56, 32]	[59, 27]
Health Care	[50, 43]	[53, 28]
Terrorism	[52, 37]	[59, 26]
Environment	[56, 31]	[60, 19]
Federal Budget Deficit	[39, 51]	[49, 41]
Energy	[55, 34]	[60, 22]
Taxes	[46, 44]	[54, 35]
Immigration	[39, 41]	[47, 30]
Situation in Afghanistan	[55, 32]	[60, 26]
Relationships with other countries	[58, 33]	[69, 22]
Unemployment	[49, 40]	[59, 29]
Gas Prices	[45, 35]	[51, 25]

Compared to April, Obama's net approval on the issues has dropped an average of 17%.

Unemployment - 21% drop
Federal Budget Deficit - 20% drop
Relationships with other countries - 20% drop
Economy - 19% drop
Immigration - 19% drop
Terrorism - 18% drop
Health Care - 18% drop
Energy - 17% drop
Taxes - 17% drop
Environment - 16% drop
Gas Prices - 16% drop
Situation in Afghanistan - 11% drop
Situation in Iraq - 8% drop

The situations in Iraq and Afghanistan have had the lowest drops since April. But the biggest drops came due to issues such as unemployment, the federal budget deficit, and the economy.

The Gfk poll is substantiated by a recently released USA Today / Gallup poll conducted July 17-19.

They observed similar drops since the end of March:

Federal Budget Deficit - 19% drop
Economy - 19% drop
Foreign Affairs - 14% drop

Federal Budget Deficit

Obama's lowest overall approval ratings come from immigration and the federal budget deficit.

Before Obama took the oath of office in January, more Americans thought it was likely for Obama to reduce the federal budget deficit. But 60% now say it is unlikely.

Trying to Change Too Quickly

Americans' impressions of Obama as a good leader has dropped 9% since April, 54% to 45%.

Americans are increasingly believing that he is trying to change too many things too quickly.

In April, 52% of Americans thought he was doing the right amount of things in the right amount of time versus 32% saying too quickly. But now the tables have turned. 49% now say he is trying to change too many things too quickly versus 37% for about right.

Lowest Ever Job Approval Ratings

Both pollsters have measured his overall job approval rating as 55%. This is the lowest job approval rating average of two consecutive polls in the history of the Obama administration.

According to Gallup, the historical average job approval rating is 55%. And once Obama's approval dips below that mark, his honeymoon period will be over.