President Barack Obama's job approval ratings have dipped to the lowest ever in his administration. Just 39 percent of those polled approve of his performance, while 52 percent disapprove. Interestingly, such figures come close to matching those of the last Democratic Party President, Bill Clinton, when they were at their lowest. Back in 1993, roughly six months into his administration, Clinton had a 40 percent approval / 49 percent disapproval rating. Neither Obama nor Clinton, however, have ever matched George W. Bush's lowest rating, which was around 25 percent, just before he left office.
As to why exactly Obama's ratings are so low, the Gallup Research website explains that, "with the exception of a dramatic national or international event, it is usually difficult to pinpoint the causes for the short-term ups and downs in a president's job ratings. In the current situation, it is reasonable to assume that several events of the last few weeks have played a part in depressing the public's approval of Obama. These include the widespread public disapproval of the way Washington handled the debt crisis, a substantial drop in the public's confidence in the economy, and last week's gyrations in the stock market." This author would suggest that the jabs coming from the Republican campaigns in Iowa last week might have also have something to do with it.
Is Barack Obama really so bad? What do you think? All comments are welcome.
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