Clinton viewed more favorably than Obama

PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 15 (UPI) -- More Americans have a favorable view of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton than President Obama, a Gallup Poll released Thursday suggests.

Clinton, who lost the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination to Obama, pulled a favorable rating of 62 percent favorable rating to Obama's 56 percent, results showed.

"Clinton's current favorable rating ranks among her best in the 17 years Gallup has polled Americans about her," the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said.

The flip in the relative popularity of Clinton and Obama could reflect their roles in national government, Gallup said.

Obama came into the office of president with a 78 percent favorable rating, Gallup said. His rating steadily slipped to 56 percent as he made or confronted thorny issues such as passage of an economic stimulus package, the auto industry bailout, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and healthcare reform.

Meanwhile, Clinton helped advance Obama's foreign policy in a less glaring spotlight, the pollster said. Her favorable rating of 62 percent has changed little since she became secretary of state.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,013 adults conducted Oct. 1-4. The margin of error is 4 percentage points.