Obama approval hits new low with whites, Hispanics
As President Obama prepares to deliver a major speech on jobs and growth tonight, yet another poll shows him with the lowest approval ratings of his presidency - particularly among Hispanics and whites.
According to the poll, conducted by Gallup throughout August, just 41 percent of adult voters approve of Mr. Obama's job performance as president - down from 44 percent in July. Those ratings reflect term-lows among Hispanic and white voters, with 48 percent approval from Hispanics and 33 percent approval among whites. Among black voters Mr. Obama has 84 percent support, tying his lowest rating to date.
Mr. Obama has characteristically scored strong ratings among the Hispanic community; in the 2008 presidential election, he earned 67 percent of the Latino vote to GOP nominee John McCain's 31 percent, according to exit polls. And a 2009 Gallup poll shows the president with 82 percent approval in the Hispanic community.
But amid continued economic struggles, as well as persistently high unemployment numbers, Mr. Obama's approval ratings have dropped off dramatically across the board. Even among black voters Mr. Obama has suffered. The president consistently scored in the ninetieth percentile among black voters throughout 2009 and 2010; in 2011, his support among black voters has fallen more steadily in the 80th percentile - and it is largely trending downward.
Moreover, a number of activists in the Hispanic community have targeted the president for what they perceive as a failure to fulfill his campaign promises on immigration reform.
The bottom line, according to Gallup, is that "despite launching his presidency with a large majority of Hispanics approving of his job performance, along with most blacks, Obama has seen significant erosion in Hispanics' support."
Now, with Hispanic approval ratings getting closer and closer to the national average, Gallup notes that "blacks have become an extreme outlier -- the only major racial group showing well-above-average approval."
