As President Obama grapples with the weak economy, the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and a military reshuffling in Afghanistan, his ratings seem to be heading towards an all-time low, according to a new poll. A survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that in June only 39 percent of Americans approved of Obama’s overall job performance, while 61 percent gave him negative marks. This is a worse result than last month, when 42 percent gave him positive marks, and 58 percent did not approve.
What is more, it appears that the president may be losing support from his base as three in 10 Democrats and Liberals (29 and 20 percent, respectively) are now critical of how he’s handling major issues. Less surprisingly, a whopping 92 percent of Republicans and 86 percent of conservatives feel the same way.
Currently, more moderates disapprove of Obama than not (58 percent).
There are geographical differences in the views regarding the administration’s performance, with 41 and 43 percent of West and East Coast residents, respectively, giving it positive ratings, while 65 percent of residents in the South have expressed the opposite view.
The poll came out just a few days before Elena Kagan’s confirmation hearings began on Capitol Hill. Kagan was nominated by President Obama earlier this year, and has since come under fire from conservatives for her limited legal experience outside of academia and for her political role in the Clinton White House.
