ENGLISH DEYEA NEWS

Approval ratings high as president moves to stem recession woes

REUTERS | WASHINGTON - Large majorities of Americans support President Barack Obama's plans to revive the economy and his efforts to work across party lines, according to a pair of public opinion polls released Monday.

One month into his presidency, a Washington Post-ABC News poll found 68 percent of Americans approve of Obama's job performance.

Sixty-four percent of respondents supported the administration's $787 billion economic stimulus package and the same percentage backed his proposal to prevent housing foreclosures, the Washington Post reported.

According to a New York Times/CBS News poll, Obama has a 63 percent job approval rating and more than 75 percent of Americans are optimistic about the next four years with him as president.

The poll results provide Obama with some backing as he confronts the U.S. economic challenges and opposition from nearly all Republicans in Congress.

Speech to Congress
The polls were released on the eve of Obama's first address to a joint session of Congress, where he is expected to talk about the emergency economic spending law.

Both polls found widespread support for Obama's effort to bridge the partisan divide in Washington and found fault with Republicans for balking.

In the New York Times/CBS poll, about 75 percent of respondents, including 61 percent of Republicans said Obama has been trying to work with Republicans.

Sixty-three percent said Republicans opposed the economic stimulus package for political reasons rather than policy concerns.

Eighty percent of Americans think Republicans should work in a bipartisan way rather than holding fast to their policies, according to the poll.

ABC said backing for Obama's economic stimulus was more broad than deep, with muted expectations for its success.

While 62 percent thing the stimulus will help their local economy, only 46 percent expect it will improve their personal financial situation.

The ABC News/Washington Post national telephone poll of 1,001 adults was conducted Thursday through Sunday, and has a 3-point error margin.

The New York Times/CBS News poll of 1,112 adults was taken Wednesday through Sunday, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.