President Barack Obama claims his highest approval rating since since the killing of Osama bin Laden, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll released Tuesday, but the public overwhelmingly dismisses the notion that he has a mandate.
The poll shows 54 percent of American adults approve of the job Obama is doing, compared with 42 percent who disapprove — the highest shown in ABC/WaPo’s polling since May 2011. Nevertheless, 56 percent said Obama does not have “a mandate to carry out the agenda he presented during the presidential campaign,” but instead should ” “compromise on things the Republicans strongly oppose.” Thirty-four percent said the president does have a mandate.
Still, Obama claims an 18-point edge over Republicans in the public’s trust to handle the economy, as well as a 26-point advantage over the GOP in trust to protect the middle class. Moreover, 50 percent said they approve of Obama’s handling of the economy, his highest mark in the category since the ABC/WaPo poll in June of 2010, while 48 percent disapprove.
