President Obama’s approval ratings are on the rise, giving the newly re-elected president his highest marks since the killing of Osama bin Laden.
An Associated Press-GfK poll found that Obama’s approval ratings are on the rise at the same time that more Americans believe the nation is headed in the right direction. As The Associated Press noted, more Americans see the nation headed in the right direction than any time since the start of Obama’s first term.
Obama’s approval rating reached 57 percent, the highest mark since May 2011 following the US Navy SEAL mission that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The number of Americans who think the country is on the right track is at 42 percent, up from 35 percent in January 2009.
The high marks could be important for Obama as he enters negotiations with Republicans in Congress to avoid what has come to be known as the “fiscal cliff.” Obama has proposed raising taxes on the highest-earning Americans, a proposal Republicans have described as a non-starter.
A new poll released by Quinnipiac University brings more good news for Obama in negotiations. It found that Obama had a 53 percent approval rating but also showed a much wider margin backing the president in fiscal cliff negotiations. By a 53 percent to 36 percent margin, respondents said they trust Democrats more than Republicans in fiscal cliff negotiations.
When it comes to who Americans view the president, President Obama’s approval ratings are mixed. Among respondents, 37 percent say he’s been above average or outstanding while 36 percent say his tenure has been average or poor. Another 25 percent say Obama has been just average.