Obama Job Approval Rating Poll: Views of US Commander, Country Take A Turn Downward Since March

U.S. President Barack Obama has had nearly half of 2015 to set the tone for the lane duck phase of his second term in the White House, but most Americans seemingly disapprove of the way he's done the job. A new CNN/ORC poll released Wednesday showed American attitudes about Obama and the country's progress have gone downhill.

A majority of people say things are going badly in the U.S. and most put the blame at the president’s feet, leaving Obama’s job performance disapproval rating to climb above 50 percent, according to the poll. While 47 percent of people say the country is doing well overall, 52 percent say it is not.

That’s a reversal from March, when 53 percent of those polled said things were going well and most approved of Obama's performance. The shift cuts across partisan and demographic lines, CNN reported. The economy seems to be the public’s top concern, while education, terrorism and health care follow closely behind.

However, younger Americans are least likely to consider the economy a top problem, the poll found. Only 16 percent of poll respondents under age 35 name the economy as a pressing issue, while 33 percent cite education as the top concern. Those age 65 or older say terrorism and the economy are equal top threats, at 21 and 20 percent, respectively. The economy remained the top concern for people between the ages of 35 and 65.

Obama's best marks on issues come from the way he’s addressed race relations. Fifty percent of respondents approve of Obama’s performance on the topic, while 47 percent disapprove, according to the poll.

Americans view Obama less positively than all of his predecessors. The public is split 49-49 on Obama’s favorability. That’s worse than his 52 percent favorable to 46 percent unfavorable rating in a March poll, but is consistent with his favorability in CNN/ORC polling over the last 12 months.

Americans choose former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush as the most popular among recent commanders-in-chief, with 64 percent reporting a favorable view of both men. The CNN/ORC Poll was conducted by telephone from May 29 to May 31, with a random sampling of 1,025 American adults.