Poll: 100 Days In, High Marks For Obama

On The Cusp Of His 100th Day, President Enjoys High Approval Ratings On A Host Of Issues - But Few Republicans Are On Board

(CBS)  Just over a third think the U.S. should increase the number of troops in Afghanistan, something the Obama administration has done recently; 29 percent think the number of troops should be decreased, and 23 percent think the troop level there should remain the same.

Sixty-one percent say the U.S. should not negotiate with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Thirty-one percent say the U.S. should do so.

Asked how things are going for the U.S. in Iraq, seventy-one percent say they are going well, the highest percentage since 2003. Only 24 percent say they are going badly.

A majority of Americans - 53 percent - say the U.S. should establish diplomatic relations with Iran, despite the country's nuclear ambitions. Thirty-seven percent say the U.S. should not do so.

A majority of Americans do not believe the Obama administration has gone far enough in lifting limitations on travel to and from Cuba, despite its recent easing of restrictions.

Sixty-percent think the government should permit travel to and from Cuba for all Americans. Twenty-three would permit travel only for those with relatives there, while just ten percent think no U.S. citizen should be allowed to travel there.

Health Care, Immigration And Guns:

Most Americans believe the U.S. health care system needs to be dramatically overhauled. Thirty-eight percent say the system should be "completely rebuilt," while 49 percent say it needs "fundamental changes." Just 12 percent say the current system needs only minor tweaks.

Americans are split on illegal immigration, though most support allowing those already in the U.S. to remain in the country. Forty-four percent say illegal immigrations currently working in the U.S. should be allowed to stay and apply for citizenship. Twenty-one percent say they should stay as guest workers. Thirty percent, meanwhile, say they should be forced to leave the country.

Despite a spate of recent gun violence, support for tightening gun laws has actually fallen, though a majority would prefer stricter gun control. Sixty percent of Americans want stronger gun laws, while seven percent want gun laws to be looser; thirty two percent want the laws kept the same.

Fifty-four percent favor reinstituting the nationwide ban on assault weapons, a policy that was in place from 1994 to 2004. Forty-one percent oppose such a ban.

Republican Opposition And The Recession's Impact:

Just three Republicans - all members of the U.S. Senate - supported the President’s economic stimulus package, and not a single Republican voted for his budget. Seven in 10 think Republican members of Congress are opposing the president’s economic plans mostly for political reasons; just 23 percent say they are doing so because the president's policies will be bad for the economy.

Overall, Congress receives an approval rating of only 28 percent, about the same as it has been since the start of the year.

The recession’s impact has been widespread, affecting seven in 10 Americans. The good news is that relatively few - 22 percent overall - say it has caused hardship and major life changes for them.

Forty-seven percent, meanwhile, say the recession has caused them difficulties, though not life changes. The remaining 30 percent say it has not had much effect on them.

Still, nearly half of those surveyed say the recession has caused hardship and major life changes for people they know, even if it hasn't significantly affected them directly.

About three in 10 Americans say they can still afford to save and buy extras. Fifty-eight percent are concerned that they or someone else in their household will lose a job in the next year, including 32 percent who are very concerned.

Americans are split on how the recession will affect spending by Americans in the long term. Forty-seven percent think Americans will continue to spend less money even after the recession is over. Forty-eight percent, meanwhile, think people will revert to their pre-recession spending habits once the economy improves.

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This poll was conducted among a random sample of 973 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone April 22-26, 2009. 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.

An oversample of African Americans were interviewed for a total of 212 interviews with African Americans. The results then weighted in proportion to the racial composition of the adult population in the U.S. Census. The margin of error for the sample of African Americans is 7 points.

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

[hunk31]

I think Obama is another Jimmy Carter for the Democrats. In 6 more months he will be in serious trouble as folks realize he has ignored the 75% of our economy which is free market for pursuing his far left goals of socialism. Young people need jobs as they come off college campuses and this President will see that they dont find them. Just wait. Just as in Europe the Conservative tide will be a tsunami in 2010 and t hese far leftists will be thrown out of power. Thank god that will mean Pelosi will not be around anymore as Speaker. What a disgrace to US.

[kms57sisk]

I think we are all going to be surprised at what kind of President we have. Just give it about 3 yrs and everything will change, he will change. People please beware., he seems like a wonderful man at this point, but he's going to change and become very evil.
I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think so. Good Luck Mr. President you definitely have a hard job ahead of you.

[mmedry]

I take exception to most of these polls and want to be involved in taking the polls myself, can anyone tell me who to contact to be able to take the polls? Are these polls only given to left-wing, gotta love him obama people?

I cannot believe 2 out of 3 Americans actually approve of the job he's doing. What an idiot, I'm ashamed he's the president of my country...just in bowing to the king of some muslim country has certainly put me off (again) and he could not bring himself to bow to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of our strongest and most supportive ally...he's undoubtedly prejudiced AGAINST old white women and must certainly be prejudiced FOR old muslim men. Could it be because his "typical white grandmother" was an old white woman and his father was an old muslim man?

Plus to have the gall to apologize for me and mine to other countries!!! UH HUH - not for us does he apologize...I've had my families blood spilled on foreign soil and if I have anything to say about it we'll never do it again. We'll leave it up to all those who wouldn't even think about dirtying their hands by joining our proud American military. A pox on all of you who think obama's putting America down does not reflect on each and every one of you. Are you ashamed of your country? Are you ashamed of our troops who have fought and died since - when - the Spanish American War?

I will admit that the only decent "American" thing that he's done so far is to give the go ahead for the US Navy snipers to take out those pirates. And the US Navy should never have had to wait for his okay. Reminds me of clinton's playing golf instead of answering the phone call to give his okay to take out bin laden (and now of course they blame it on Bush instead of taking responsibility for their own stupidity) except in this case at least Obama did give the okay. I will give him that.

Somebody let me know how to get on the polling committee(?) please, I think there's a problem here. And maybe it's just the fact that we can't get a journalist to give reports anymore...they all seem to be commentators and think their opinions are the most important part of the news
Thanks.

[Aldymac]

The swine flu isn't a new threat as the news media suggests, the vaccine for the flu was ordered up by President Bush, so don't be giving the credit to Obama.

[mje222]

Spending to much can not be a good thing. Fly over New York , how much do you think that cost ya. Not a good report card.

[formrusmcsgt]

As his 100th day approaches, more than two in three Americans approve of the job Barack Obama is doing as president...
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So, by definition, 2 of 3 disagree with the McCain/Palin accusation of "Unfit to Lead"....

Hi. I would like to know vote on the items you list. Please direct me on how i can get involved. Thanks Walter

[ddaryl1]

thank god we have Obama and not some insane, right wing nut job runing this country.

I am proud to be an AMeircan again... and I despised this country during the GW Bush years

I still despise republicans and after GWB that WILL NEVER CHANGE

[noloyalisti]

tomadams99 I thought you were talking about the Bush Crime Family when you were talking about just spending money.

And by the way the failed obsolete party of No, Nope and No Hope were doing what they do best, blocking appointments. And we need to break up the factory farms and livestock corporations whose practices start these kinds of diseases.

[tomadams99]

Some of you are a little quick to give this guy credit. He has done nothing more than spend money. He cannot even get his cabinet appointed in good order. He just now gets Sebelius appointed, yet he still has no Surgeon General. Seems to me, the two positions would have been priority...if he actually intended to address Health care...or even pretend to be concerned over many of the health issues. The swine flu is not quite as new a situation as the media would like us to believe.