The President walks like an Egyptian on a tour of the Great Pyramids in 2010.
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PRINCETON, NJ -- President Barack Obama's approval rating for handling the federal budget deficit has gone from bad to worse in recent months, even as his ratings on all other major national issues have generally held steady. Currently, 27% of Americans approve of Obama on the deficit, down from 32% in November, while 68% disapprove.
Overall, Obama is doing much better on international issues than domestic ones. Among eight issues on which Obama was rated in the new poll, Americans give the president the highest approval ratings on foreign affairs and the situations in Egypt and Afghanistan. The deficit, the economy, and taxes rank among his lowest ratings, alongside healthcare policy.
The survey was conducted Feb. 2-5, as the Obama administration was stepping up pressure on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to make a decision about continuing to lead his country in light of mass protests calling for his immediate resignation -- protests with which Americans generally sympathize. The relatively small percentage disapproving of Obama on Egypt (32%) makes his overall net approval on that issue the highest of any issue tested, at +15 percentage points.
