The earthquake that struck the White House is a distant memory. But the latest Gallup daily tracking poll shows President Obama is standing on shaky ground. The president’s approval rating hit an all time low – just 38 percent of Americans approve of his job performance.
According to a new Associated Press-GfK poll, Obama’s job approval among white voters is 36 percent; 59 percent say he does not deserve reelection. The AP reports:
Whites and women are a reelection problem for President Barack Obama. Younger voters and liberals, too, but to a lesser extent.All are important Democratic constituencies that helped him win the White House in 2008 and whose support he'll need to keep it next year.
An analysis of Associated Press-GfK polls, including the latest survey released last week, shows that Obama has lost ground among all those groups since he took office. The review points to his vulnerabilities and probable leading targets of his campaign as he seeks to assemble a coalition diverse enough to help him win re-election in tough economic times.
While Obama remains on firm ground with 88 percent of African Americans, Colin Powell’s support seems shaky. During an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Powell said:
I haven’t decided who I’m going to vote for. Just as was the case in 2008, I am going to watch the campaign unfold. In the course of my life, I have voted for Democrats and I have voted for Republicans, I have changed from one four-year cycle to another.
Powell added:
I’ve always felt it my responsibility as a citizen to take a look at the issues, to examine the candidates, and pick the person that I think is best qualified for the office of the President in that year. And not just solely on the basis of party affiliation.