Poll finds U.S. is up on Obama and economy

McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Americans are growing slightly more optimistic about the path the country is on, according to a new Ipsos-McClatchy poll.

Some 46 percent of Americans said the country was headed in the right direction, while 48 percent said it was on the wrong track, according to the survey of 1,005 adults taken last Thursday through Monday.

In a similar survey taken July 9-13, only 40 percent said the nation was headed in the right direction, and 54 percent said it was on the wrong track.

The improving public mood coincides with a stock market rebound and increasing evidence that the economy is poised for a comeback. The new survey also found that 56 percent think the economy has stabilized, up from 49 percent earlier in July.

In addition, the poll indicates that President Barack Obama’s job-approval rating has leveled out after suffering some erosion earlier in the summer, with 58 percent now saying that they approve of his job performance and 37 percent disapproving, virtually the same as in the previous survey but still down from the mid-60s ratings he had through the spring.

Obama has seen a recent decline in public support on two key issues: health care and the war in Afghanistan. On health care, only 44 percent of Americans approve of his performance now, down from 50 percent in April. Public support for his handling of Afghanistan is lower as well, with only 45 percent voicing approval, down from 51 percent in April.