Poll: Obama Approval Rises To 50%

President Barack Obama smiles as he prepares to answer a question during an end-of-the year news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 20, 2013. At the end of his ... President Barack Obama smiles as he prepares to answer a question during an end-of-the year news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 20, 2013. At the end of his fifth year in office, Obama's job approval and personal favorability ratings have fallen to around the lowest point of his presidency. Obama will depart later for his home state of Hawaii for his annual Christmas vacation trip. It's the first time in his presidency that his departure plans have not been delayed by legislative action in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) MORE LESS
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President Barack Obama’s approval rating has risen to 50 percent in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll released Monday, his strongest showing in the survey since the spring of 2013.

Forty-four percent disapprove of how he’s handling his job as president.

The improving poll numbers come one day before Obama’s State of the Union speech, amid positive economic news and complete Republican control of Congress for the first time in his presidency.

By a 40 to 36 percent margin, Americans said they trust Obama over Republicans to “do a better job coping with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years.”

The survey polled a random national sampling of 1,003 adults from Jan. 12-15, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

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  1. The close correlation between the trajectory of presidential approval and the price of gas is the single most depressing statistic in American politics. It’s the one thing that seems to move the dial among people who don’t pay attention to politics. So, look to the oil companies to start shutting down more refineries “for maintenance” than usual and experience totally unexpected supply issues with summer gas blends in the summer of 2016.

  2. Contrast with GOP hero Dubya, who was at what at this point in his presidency…26%?

  3. “”"""“By a 40 to 36 percent margin, Americans said they trust Obama over Republicans to “do a better job coping with the main problems the nation faces””"""

    Yet they voted unprecedented numbers of those Republicans into office. They voted to obstruct the guy the trust and empower the guys they don’t. Enjoy!!!

  4. It’s easy to answer a stupid landline poll. Much easier than actually extracting my ass from the ass-sized divot in my Barca-Lounger and getting out there and actually voting, which is SO not-cool and boring and isn’t really a big deal anyways, because ~reasons~…

  5. I don’t think that’s the case. When prices are up it’s the president’s fault ( so say the pundits and the media ) but when they are down…nothing is said. I haven’t heard any pundits that a year ago were blaming Obama for gasoline prices being high praising him for the low costs today. It doesn’t work that way. Bullshit never does.,

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