Poll: Obama's approval ratings sinking

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Pessimism about the direction taken by the United States is evident in several polls that indicate President Obama's ratings are sinking to new lows.

In a Washington Post-ABC News poll, more than 60 percent of those surveyed said they disapproved of the way Obama is handling the economy and the stagnant jobs situation.

A career-low 43 percent of voters said they approve of the overall job Obama is doing while 53 percent said they disapprove, a new high, the Post said.

Results indicate just 28 percent of voters approve of the way congressional Republicans are doing their job and 68 percent disapprove, the worst showing for the GOP since summer 2008.

The Washington Post-ABC News poll, released Monday, surveyed 1,001 adults by phone Aug. 29-Sept. 1. The margin of error is 3.5 percentage points.

A Wall Street Journal-NBC News poll of 1,000 adults taken Aug. 27-31 found 44 percent of Americans approve of the job Obama is doing as president and 51 percent disapprove, the first time more than half expressed disapproval since his inauguration.

Seventy-three percent said the country was heading in the wrong direction. Pollsters said this level of pessimism hasn't been recorded since late 2008 as the financial crisis struck.

Voters told the Wall Street Journal poll they are more likely to vote Republican than for Obama's re-election in 2012, 44 percent to 40 percent.

The margin of error for the WSJ-NBC News poll, released Tuesday, is 3.1 percentage points.

A Politico-George Washington University poll released Monday indicated the debt limit showdown and the stagnant economy tarnished Obama's standing among voters and dampened their confidence about America's future. Politico reported nearly three of four voters said the country was headed in the wrong direction.

More Americans expressed disapproval of the way Obama is handling his job, with 50 percent saying they are dissatisfied while 45 percent said they approve. Obama got especially low marks for his handling of the economy, with 39 percent of Politico poll participants saying they approve and 59 percent saying they disapprove.

The Politico-George Washington University Battleground Poll of 1,000 likely voters was conducted Aug. 28-Sept. 1. The nationwide telephone survey had margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.