The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows that 23% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-three percent (43%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -20. For President Obama, the Approval Index has been lower only once (see trends). Data for these updates is collected via nightly telephone interviews and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. As a result, just one-third of the interviews for today’s update were collected following the President’s health-care summit. Sunday morning will be the first update based entirely upon interviews conducted after the summit.
By a 46% to 29% margin, Democrats say it would be better for workers if they were dropped from their employers health insurance coverage and enrolled in a government plan. Republicans and unaffiliated voters disagree. Voters are divided on support for a “public option.”
Fifty percent (50%) see China as a long-term threat to the United States.
The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates are also available on Twitter and Facebook.
Overall, 44% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. That matches the lowest level of total approval yet measured for this President. Fifty-five percent (55%) disapprove.
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