AP poll: Majority disapprove of Obama's handling of oil spill

WASHINGTON (AP) — A majority of Americans disapprove of how President Barack Obama has handled the devastating Gulf oil spill though far more blame BP for what people call a sluggish two-month response, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll released today.

It comes as the president seeks to show more forceful leadership in confronting the nation's worst environmental crisis and convince a skeptical public he's up to the task.

The survey found that 52 percent don't approve of Obama's handling of the spill, a significant increase from last month when a significant chunk of Americans withheld judgment.

But Obama's overall job performance rating didn't take a hit; it stayed virtually the same at 50 percent. That's consistent with the public's attitudes throughout his young presidency; people generally like him but don't necessarily agree with his policies.