National Crises Push President Obama's Approval Rating To Three-Year High

President Barack Obama’s job approval rating has climbed to its highest level since early in his first term, according to a Gallup poll.

In the poll, 56 percent of Americans now approve of the job Obama is doing, the largest share since October 2009. That 56 percent figure represents a three-day average.

After seeing his approval level stagnate for much of his first term -- a product of the ailing economy -- Obama has gotten a post-election boost, hovering around 50 percent since Nov. 4. But the most recent reading is still the highest his numbers have gone.

The bounce includes overwhelming support from Democrats, with 91 percent approving of the job Obama is doing. 54 percent of independents and 16 percent of Republicans gave Obama a positive review, up from 47 percent and 9 percent.

In an analysis, Gallup notes that the spike could be related to the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, which led Obama to give a high-profile speech calling for measures to prevent another shooting.

Obama also scores far higher than Congress when Americans are asked about negotiations over the “fiscal cliff,” a year-end confluence of spending cuts and tax increases. 48 percent of Americans approved of the job Obama is doing; that figure fell to 34 percent for Democratic leaders and 29 percent for Republican leaders.

Speaker of the House John Boehner, who had to cancel a vote on his so-called Plan B when he could not marshal enough votes, registered a 25 percent approval rating (that poll was conducted before the unsuccessful vote attempt).