Poll: US split on Obama

President Obama’s approval rating has rebounded substantially and is now at its highest point since June, according to a new poll released Tuesday night by Bloomberg.

But despite a rebound that suggests Obama has re-emerged from under the cloud created by the disastrous rollout of his signature healthcare law, a majority of Americans continue to disapprove his handling of a wide swath of policy issues.

According to the survey, 48 percent of respondents now approve of the president’s job performance — up six percentage points from December, representing his biggest positive jump over a three-month period as measured by the Bloomberg poll. An equal 48 percent say that they disapprove of Obama’s handling of his job, meaning the president is no longer underwater with voters.

{mosads}The survey also found that the president’s personal favorability now rests at 49 percent, his highest marks since June.

According to Bloomberg, majorities disapprove of the president’s performance on every topic surveyed, with the exception of immigration and Ukraine. And, when asked about Ukraine, a plurality — 41 percent — disapprove of Obama’s handling, with a third of survey respondents saying they approve of the president’s actions.

Still, there was some encouraging news for Democrats as they prepare for what is expected to be a tough midterm election. In addition to the president’s rebounding poll numbers, 69 percent of Americans say they support his push to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 over the next three years. 

More than half (52 percent) say they support the president’s call to extend emergency unemployment benefits, while a plurality of Americans (46 percent) say they are better off than they were four years ago. And two-thirds favor investing tax breaks and resources in the middle class, while just a quarter say the richest Americans and corporations should get tax breaks so they invest in creating jobs.

Nevertheless, Republicans should be able to make inroads on issues where Democrats appear to have the upper hand. A majority of those surveyed (57 percent) said that it was not worth raising the minimum wage if it means eliminating half a million jobs, as projected by the Congressional Budget Office. The White House has disputed those findings. 

Similarly, a majority of white respondents and those aged 65 and older — among the most likely to vote in midterm elections — say the government should not intervene to shrink the income gap.