Americans Down on Economy, Blame Bush

Prez now ahead of all four GOP contenders

(NEWSER) - The rising economy may be enough to carry President Obama to a second term, according to the latest New York Times / CBS poll. The percentage of people feeling optimistic about the economy has surged over the last few months, the poll found, and Obama's approval rating is back above 50%, the highest since May 2010 apart from a brief bump after the killing of Osama bin Laden last year. Obama now leads all four of his potential Republican opponents, the poll found. More»

President's approval rating shoots to 53%

(NEWSER) - President Obama's approval rating has jumped 9 percentage points over four months to 53%, and he's posting double-digit leads over his top Republican opponents, a poll finds. Obama leads Mitt Romney by 10 points, 53% to 43%, and Rick Santorum by 11 points, 53% to 42%. Competing against a generic Republican, Obama comes out on top by 5 points; that hypothetical contest was tied in November, Politico notes. More»

More than half say he relates to average Americans

(NEWSER) - No-Drama Obama may be lying low these days, but most Americans say he relates to their problems best. A new Pew Research/Washington Post poll of 1,006 adults gives President Obama good marks on the empathy scale, Politico reports:

• 55% say he relates to the needs of average people fairly or very well. Not bad, next to 39% for Mitt Romney and 36% for Newt Gingrich.

Americans like Obama but fear for country: poll

(NEWSER) - If a national poll can combine devastating news and a bright ray of sunshine for President Obama, this is it. A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey shows that about 75% of respondents don't like Obama's economic policies and fear the country is headed in the wrong direction. But in hypothetical match-ups, Obama leads Mitt Romney by 6 points and Herman Cain by 15 points. “Is he [Bill] Clinton or [Jimmy] Carter? I don’t think you can answer it right now,” one pollster tells MSNBC . More»

Followed by Rick Perry

(NEWSER) - Michele Bachmann's ascent continues: The Minnesota congresswoman surged into second place behind longtime GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney in a new national poll. Romney is the first choice for 30% of Republican primary voters, while Bachmann snagged 16%. Behind her is Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who still hasn't decided whether to actually run, with 11%. President Obama still leads his Republican challengers: 48% of those polled would vote for him today versus 41% for Romney. Against Bachmann, Obama would win 50% to 35%. More»