Obama back to 50 percent approval rating

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama's approval rating is back at 50 percent for the first time in eight months, a CNN poll indicated.

The CNN/ORC International Poll, released Wednesday, also indicated that the number of Americans who think things are going well in the country is on the rise.

Four out of 10 of those polled said they believe things are going well in the country, up 15 points since November.

"Does that mean it's morning in America? It is for Democrats -- a solid majority of them now say things are going well in the country. But overall, six in 10 still have a gloomy outlook about the state of the country," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Optimism is on the rise among independent voters, with a notable increase among men as well, although a majority of both groups still think things are going poorly."

Obama's approval rating was last at 50 percent in May as a result of the killing of Osama bin Laden.

"Independents now have a net-positive view of President Obama," says Holland. "His approval rating has also reached 50 percent in the suburbs."

The poll, conducted Feb. 10-13, also showed Obama has a lead over all Republican candidates.

"More than six in ten Americans believe that the policies of Romney and Gingrich favor the rich; Santorum and Paul do better on that measure, but only a quarter feel that way about Obama," says Holland.

The poll questioned 1,026 adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.