Obama's approval rating levels out in the low 50s

Washington, Sep.30 (ANI): After sliding through the summer, President Barack Obama's approval ratings has settled in the low 50s and is comfortably placed next to those of recent presidents.

A number of top pollsters say Obama's 52 percent average approval rating in Gallup's September survey is well within the expected range in the first year of a new administration, Politico reports.

Former presidents Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon all settled into the 50s by this time in the Gallup Poll. Dwight Eisenhower averaged a 61 percent approval rating during his first September as president.

The only recent presidents with approval ratings in the 70s at this point in their terms were John F. Kennedy, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush - though the younger Bush's rating was strongly influenced by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

Obama "is certainly doing as well as, or better than, Reagan or Clinton," said Frank Newport, editor-in-chief of the Gallup Poll.

"He looks like he is holding his own compared to other presidents at this point. His problems with his falling numbers at one point were being overwritten," added Andrew Kohut, president of the Pew Research Center.

There has been virtually no movement in the president's approval rating since the end of August - regardless of the poll - even as some have consistently shown Obama a few points higher or lower than the rest. (ANI)