More people disapprove of President Obama’s job performance as they give him low marks on dealing with issues like the Islamic State terrorist group and feel his policies would lead the country in the wrong direction, a new CNN/ORC poll said.
Forty-seven percent approve of how Mr. Obama is handling his job as president and 51 percent approve, down from a positive 49 percent/47 percent rating in a survey taken last month.
Fifty-two percent said they disapprove of how he is handling the economy and 56 percent said they disapprove of how he’s handling foreign affairs.
Sixty percent said they disapprove of the U.S. relationship with Iran, compared to 38 percent who said they approve.
Among a half-sample of respondents, 50 percent said they would favor an agreement that would ease some of the economic sanctions on Iran “and in exchange require Iran to accept major restrictions on its nuclear program but not end it completely and submit to greater international inspection of its nuclear facilities.” Forty-six said they oppose such an agreement.
But in another half-sample, 56 percent said Congress should reject the recently-brokered deal on Tehran’s nuclear program and 41 percent said Congress should approve it.
Sixty-two percent said they disapprove of the way he’s handling the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, and a slim plurality — 48 percent to 47 percent — said they disapprove of his handling of climate change.
Overall, 52 percent said things or going pretty badly or very badly in the country today and 48 percent said things are going fairly well or very well. Fifty-two percent said the policies being proposed by Mr. Obama will move the country in the wrong direction and 45 percent said the right direction.
Fifty-five percent said policies being proposed by Republican leaders in Congress would move the country in the wrong direction, and 39 percent said the right direction.
Fifty-three percent also said the United States should continue to operate the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, while 44 percent said it should be closed and the prisoners transferred to other facilities.
The poll of 1,001 adults was conducted Aug. 13-16 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.