After a slight rebound last month in the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, President Obama is back to his previous overall job approval low of 41% (a drop of 3%) and hit record lows on his handling of foreign policy and overall competence.
It’s worth noting that this poll was taken before Obama’s mishandling of Syria and the American withdrawal from Iraq allowed an al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group to make extraordinary territorial gains in both countries in pursuit of a caliphate state.
According to the poll, the public is evenly split, 50% – 50%, on the question of whether or not Obama is competent. A full 57% (a record high for this poll) disapprove of the way Obama is handling foreign policy. Only 37% approve.
ObamaCare remains a growing problem for the president. When asked to cite examples of why the president’s performance has gotten worse, the top issues were ObamaCare and foreign policy, which were tied at 12%. The Bowe Bergdahl exchange came in 2nd at 9%.
Only 30% of those polled agree with Obama’s decision to swap Bergdahl for five Taliban prisoners. A plurality of 44% said Obama should not have made the swap.
Obama’s favorability rating is upside down, 41 – 45%. Last month it was right-side up, 44-41%.
No number is worse for the president, though, than the clear majority of 54% who have lost faith in the president’s ability to lead and get the job done.
Only 42% still have faith.
