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Obama approval rating remains low

U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, Oct. 8, 2010. UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg
U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, Oct. 8, 2010. UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg | License Photo

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y., Oct. 8 (UPI) -- President Obama's approval rating remains low but a bare majority of voters believe he will eventually solve U.S. problems, a poll released Friday said.

The McClatchy-Marist poll found half of those surveyed, 50 percent, disapproving of the president's performance, while 43 percent approved. The numbers did not change much between September and October.

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"The battle lines are drawn for the midterm elections," said Lee M. Miringoff, director of The Marist College Institute for Public Opinion. "President Obama's approval rating is not a disaster, but it's not high enough to be a battle cry for many of his fellow Democrats facing the 2010 electorate."

Just over half of respondents, 51 percent, said the president will eventually solve the country's problems, although he needs more time. A large minority, 45 percent, disagreed.

Marist also asked how respondents would vote in 2012 in a three-way race with Obama seeking a second term, Sarah Palin as the Republican nominee and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg as an independent.

Marist asked a similar question in February, and found Obama would get 44 percent of the vote, Palin 29 percent and Bloomberg 15 percent with 12 percent undecided. In the October survey, Obama's and Palin's numbers were unchanged but Bloomberg moved up to 18 percent with 9 percent undecided.

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