http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/12/poll-obama-job-approval-at-49/1
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There's a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll out today and Washington bureau chief Susan Page has the latest on President Obama's numbers:
When he was inaugurated in January, Obama scored a job rating of 64% approve-25% disapprove in the USA TODAY/Gallup Poll -- a net positive rating by a formidable 39 percentage points.
As the year comes to a close, he's still in positive territory, but not by much. The latest survey, taken Friday through Sunday, puts the president's approval at 49%-46%. That is Obama's narrowest margin of the year, with his approval matching his low point in early October and his disapproval matching his high point later that month.
In comparison to the approval ratings for modern elected presidents in December of their first year in office, Obama's standing is the worst, though he's close to Ronald Reagan. In December 1981, Reagan's approval rating was also 49%, though his disapproval rating was a bit lower, 41%.
Gallup Poll ratings for the others: George W. Bush was at 86%, in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks; John Kennedy at 77%; the elder George Bush at 71%; Dwight Eisenhower at 69%; Richard Nixon at 59%; Jimmy Carter at 57%; and Bill Clinton at 54%.
Obama continues to have a higher favorable rating than job approval, a sign that some of those who don't like his policies as president still think highly of him as a person. Among those surveyed, 56% had a favorable opinion of him; 42% an unfavorable one.
And Sarah Palin?
The nationwide tour promoting her best-selling book, Going Rogue, seems to have helped boost her image, although she still has a way to go. Now, 44% have a favorable opinion of the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee. Forty-seven percent have an unfavorable view.
In October, her favorable rating was 40%-50%
The poll of 1,025 adults, taken by landline and cellphone, has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
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Change I can believe in ;)