CBS News Poll: Obama's Approval Rating Up a Bit

Topics: Economy ,; Polling ,; Obama Administration

(Credit: CBS)

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.

President Obama's overall job approval rating has risen slightly in a new CBS News Poll, showing 3 percent more Americans feel he's doing a good job than did a month earlier.

According to the survey conducted by phone between Nov. 29 and Dec. 2, 48 percent of Americans approve of Mr. Obama's job handling, up from 45 percent in November.

Approval among independents has risen, also, from 40 percent last month to 45 percent now.

As they have for more than two years, Americans rate the economy poorly. Eight in 10 Americans say the nation's economy is in bad shape.

Also from this Poll: Most Oppose GOP Tax Plan
Unemployment Rate Hits 9.8% as Job Growth Slows

Americans also seem more optimistic about the country's economic outlook than they have been for months.

According to the new poll, 31 percent believe the economy is getting better, the highest number since April. Twenty-four percent said they thought the economy was still getting worse and 44 percent said it seemed unchanged.

A vast majority of those polled said they favor the idea of the U.S. and Russia coming to an agreement to limit nuclear weapons, a huge show of support for the Obama administration's push to have Congress ratify the new START treaty, which is being held up by Congressional Republicans.

A whopping 82 percent said they were in favor of the U.S. signing a nuclear disarmament treaty with Moscow, views similar to those held more than thirty years ago, as the Cold War raged: in 1979, 77 percent favored the idea.

VIDEO: Katie Couric on the New START Treaty
Obama Enlists Powell's Support on START Treaty

Only 12 percent of those questioned in the latest CBS News Poll said they were against such a treaty.

Majorities of liberals (91 percent), moderates (86 percent) and conservatives (74 percent) support an agreement to limit nuclear weapons.

Read the Complete Poll

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,067 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone November 29-December 2, 2010. Phone numbers were dialed from RDD samples of both standard land-lines and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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by ronnm1 December 3, 2010 4:36 PM EST: Another Media manipulated poll! The continued attempts by the media to make Obama and Congress look good is pathetic at best. The public isn't dumb or blind, we can see what's going on and don't like it. Pelosi's theory on welfare checks is so stupid it's hard to beleive she said it. Hey, Pelosi, Reid and Obama are filty rich so it doesn't matter to them...so are most of the media folks!; Reply to this comment


by RobAla December 3, 2010 4:26 PM EST: Take a look at the collection of polls on Real Clear and you will see that CBS is way off the other polls on this subject. Dream on.

Rasmussen has the latest poll showing 44% approval and 55% disapproval.

Poll Date Sample Approve Disapprove Spread
RCP Average 11/8 - 12/2 -- 45.7 48.9 -3.2
Rasmussen Reports 11/30 - 12/2 1500 LV 44 55 -11
Gallup 11/29 - 12/2 1547 A 45 47 -2
CBS News 11/29 - 12/2 1067 A 48 42 +6
Associated Press/CNBC 11/18 - 11/22 1000 A 48 48 Tie
USA Today/Gallup 11/19 - 11/21 1037 A 42 54 -12
McClatchy/Marist 11/15 - 11/18 810 RV 45 48 -3
NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl 11/11 - 11/15 1000 A 47 47 Tie
CNN/Opinion Research 11/11 - 11/14 1014 A 48 50 -2
Quinnipiac 11/8 - 11/15 2424 RV 44 49 -5; Reply to this comment


by Riverjump December 3, 2010 3:47 PM EST: Hey pahgre----white supremacist? wow; Reply to this comment

by wfw3536 December 3, 2010 3:13 PM EST

Maybe CBS should focus on finding out how many folks are un and underemployed and how they feel about what Obama is doing for them. This shows how out of touch this president is regarding the economy and job creation. It is too bad the president and his team have little experience in business and do not have a clue on what to do. What is really sad is all the folks who are hurting and we have a president who does not get it.

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by Guitfiddel December 4, 2010 1:31 AM EST: So, you think Palin or McCain have a better idea? McCain said that he knew very little about the economy and he didnt see us going into recession because our economy is fundamentally sound. Sarah was too stupid to get passed an interview with Katie(who she currently evades)to even have had an opinion about it and, doesnt know where she is half the damn time geographically.


by common--logic December 3, 2010 1:59 PM EST: Another bogus poll from CBS which have rarely been anywhere near reflecting reality. Well, perhaps it will give them and liberals some cheer this Christmas season ... ooops, can I still say Christmas?; Reply to this comment


by ThoreauHD December 3, 2010 1:31 PM EST: Obama's approval rating with Rasmussen and other actual polling organizations is at 22%. How exactly do you guys figure 48%? You poll the only people that watch your communist garbage on TV? Something is wrong here.; Reply to this comment

by Guitfiddel December 3, 2010 12:01 PM EST

It was said and, I agree that now that the Republicans have the House they will show what they are about and what they have always been. They will also show the American people who brought this country to the recession we are in now. It will be real clear?at least to those that want to realize the truth. We're getting rid of them in California! We're not like Sarah and the Tea Party. We read about what's going on and we are educated. We trust educated opinions and the facts. Most of us think Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are not who they really portray themselves to be but over paid, idiot comedians who could never be close to electable (drugs and morals) in any public office. So, they can take their stupid "Snow Bunny" who doesnt know where she is geographically most of the time who also cheated on her husband and has to write things on the back of her hands and get out of here! We dont want them in California and we are proud of it!

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by common--logic December 3, 2010 2:07 PM EST: "We're getting rid of them in California!" Yeah, and your state is really doing great, isn't it? California is one of the worst off states in the Union. It's broke. By the way, Arnold was not a conservative ... he is a liberal "rino". Wake up dude! Who's been in control of California for decades? It's the liberals and democrats that have run a once amazingly great state into the ground!


by YrWrongAgain December 3, 2010 11:52 AM EST: All comedians know there's easy applause when your audience is high.; Reply to this comment

by larrryshrine December 3, 2010 10:39 AM EST

by dongo3 December 3, 2010 9:39 AM EST
Of course they are up. It's the first of the month and the Liberals (Welfare Recipients) just got their welfare checks so they are happy. And since they are worthless and don't work or pay taxes, they are at home to answer the phone for the poll.

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1.7 percent of Americans derive more than 50 percent of their income from welfare. 8 percent receive some portion, such as food stamps, from welfare." Sounds like a lot of Democrats are working. Your argument concerning Democrats on welfare is specious at best. Stop your ranting, since you have nothing to back up your argument with. You come across as silly.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percentage_of_people_in_US_are_on_welfare

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by Guitfiddel December 4, 2010 1:47 AM EST: Another thing "larrryshrine" doesen't realize is that by the republicans cutting EUB from 30mil American famlies they are also causing another 500,000 people to lose their jobs because the unemployed won't have the money they spend keeping them employed. EUB stimulates the economy. The wealthy keep their money in offshore accounts. The unemployed spend their money taking care of themselves. The wealthy dont care if your dumb ass has a job or not.


by andrewjsacks December 3, 2010 10:36 AM EST: My family and friends and I have approved all along but were never asked. OBAMA 2012.; Reply to this comment