Poll: Southerners not enamored of Obama

ROCK HILL, S.C., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Independents in U.S. southern states disapprove of President Barack Obama and Democratic healthcare reform bills, a Winthrop University poll indicates.

Independent voters disapprove of Obama 46.3 percent to 43.4 percent, while Southerners overall said they disapproved 47.4 percent to 42.2 percent, The Atlantic reported Wednesday.

On healthcare, the Winthrop Poll said it found 50.9 percent of Southerners asked disapproved of Obama's direction, and his handling of the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan drew 47.9 percent disfavor. Southern independents said they disapproved of Obama's healthcare efforts by 50.6 percent and his handling of the wars by 54.5 percent.

Nationwide, several polls showed Obama recently slipped in approval ratings in healthcare and the war efforts, although his overall approval rating was in the mid-50 percent range.

The Winthrop Poll, conducted by Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., found Obama scored well with Southerners on personal characteristics, The Atlantic said.

Winthrop polled 866 respondents in 11 Southern states. A time line and the survey's margin of error were not provided.