The US President Mr Barack Obama’s approval rating past week was recorded at 40 per cent, the lowest of his administration so far, the latest national opinion poll of the Gallup has said.
Mr Obama’s job approval rating dropped to 40 per cent during the week spanning August 8-14, the lowest weekly average of his administration.
During this period, his three-day rolling average also hit a new low of 39 per cent for August 11-13, the first such average below 40 per cent since he took office, though it recovered to 41 per cent for August 12-14, Gallup said in a statement.
“With the exception of a dramatic national or international event, it is usually difficult to pinpoint the causes for the short-term ups and downs in a president’s job ratings. In the current situation, it is reasonable to assume that several events of the last few weeks have played a part in depressing the public’s approval of Obama,” Gallup said.
It said 10 incumbent presidents have sought re-election since World War II, and none has won a second term with final pre-election job approval ratings below 48 per cent.
The last two presidents who lost their re-election bids — George W Bush and Jimmy Carter — had job approval ratings in the 30 per cent range in the fall of the election year.
“Thus, Obama’s challenge is not only to move his rating back above 40 per cent, but also to push it close to or above 50 per cent,” it said, adding that the crucial period for Mr Obama will begin after Labour Day, given the relative quiet on the political front that should be the case before then.
Mr Obama had yesterday began a three-day bus tour through Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.