Poll: Americans laud John Kerry's work as secretary of state

PRINCETON, N.J., Sept. 16 (UPI) -- A majority of Americans approve of the job John Kerry is doing as secretary of state, topping approval ratings for the president or vice president, Gallup said.

Sixty percent said they approve of the job Kerry is doing and 31 percent said they disapprove, results of a poll released Monday indicated.

The same poll indicated President Obama's approval rating was 45 percent and Vice President Joe Biden's was 51 percent.

Kerry's approval rating among Democrats is nearly identical to Obama's 80 percent, the Princeton, N.J., polling agency said, noting that Obama's rating is much lower among independents and Republicans at 38 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

Gallup said its polling was conducted during the U.S. debate over military action in Syria but before President Obama's national address on the subject and the diplomatic agreement between the United States and Russia to secure Syria's chemical weapons.

Results are based on nationwide telephone interviews with 1,510 adults conducted Sept. 5-8. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.