Barack Obama Job Approval Rating: Disapproval Rate Slips, Improves on Terrorism and Health Care Policy
President Barack Obama's approval rating and opinons on his handling of health care policies and terrorism improved in recent weeks, but the disapproval rating outweighed the positive gains.
Polling data from CNN and ORC International revealed Obama's approval rating increased by one percentage point. While Obama's approval rating increased from 43 percent to 44 percent, the majority of Americans surveyed disapproved of his performance as U.S. president, at 52 percent. The disapproval rating, however, is a decline of 3 percentage points from a poll earlier this month by the same organizations.
The lowest approval ratings for Obama were in two polls in November and December 2013, both at 41 percent, while his highest was when he began his first term in February 2009 with 76 percent.
Unlike his overall approval rating, support of Obama's handling of the economy slipped by one percentage point. Obama's economic approval rating stood at 42 percent, but he received a 56 percent disapproval rating. The disapproval rating was unchanged from earlier this month.
Obama's foreign affairs approval rating showed improved figures. His approval rating increased by 2 percentage points to 42 percent. The disapproval rating dropped by 3 percentage points to 54 percent. Americans narrowly said they don't trust Obama as commander-in-chief of the armed forces with 51 percent to 48 percent.
Obama's management against the Islamic State militant group might have improved his approval rating regarding handling terrorism. Obama's approval rating on handling terrorism was 46 percent, an improvement of 5 percentage points. The disapproval rating declined by 7 percentage points to 50 percent. Obama's management against the Islamic State militant group might have improved his approval rating regarding handling terrorism. Obama's approval rating on handling terrorism was 46 percent, an improvement of 5 percentage points. The disapproval rating declined by 7 percentage points to 50 percent. The 57 percent disapproval rating Obama received in early September was the highest disapproval rating on terrorism.
Specifically about the Islamic State, 49 percent disapproved of Obama's handling on the militant group, which signified a 10 percent drop from 59 percent earlier this month. Americans showed improved opinions on Obama's efforts to combat the extremist organization with 45 percent, an improvement from 37 percent.
Most respondents favored the military air strike campaign against the Islamic State with 73 percent but 24 percent disapproved. The U.S. has been conducting the air strike campaign with a coalition of countries, including Arab nations such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. If the U.S. were to conduct the air strikes by itself, only 50 percent of Americans would maintain their approval of the campaign while 49 percent would oppose.
While Congress passed legislation to provide military equipment and training to some Syrian rebels, 54 percent of respondents opposed the idea while 42 percent in favor. Sixty percent of Americans also oppose the deployment of ground troops to fight the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, but 38 percent favored the option.
With the Affordable Care (ACA), or Obamacare, scheduled to start it second open-enrollment period in November, approval of the U.S. health care policy improved by 6 percentage points, from 36 percent to 42 percent. Most Americans in the CNN and ORC International survey, however, disapproved of Obama's health care policy with 56 percent, although it is a decline from 63 percent during the start of the summer. The second enrollment period starts on Nov. 15 and is scheduled to conclude on Feb. 15, 2015.
The CNN and ORC International survey comprised of 1,055 adults, including 948 registered voters, between Sept. 25 and Sept. 28.