The number one goal for the pro-life movement in the United States in 2012 is defeating pro-abortion President Barack Obama, and a new Gallup survey shows his support continues to remain at steady low levels.
Obama’s job approval rating averaged 43% last week according to the new Gallup poll — identical to his rating each week since late October. Obama remained in the low 50s for much of August and September in terms of his disapproval rating but that has dropped slightly to 48-49 percent in the most recent Gallup surveys.
Still, with more Americans continuing to disapprove than approve of the president’s job performance, the numbers show the pro-life movement has a strong opportunity next year to defeat Obama and to, once again, give unborn children a president who may shape the Supreme Court in a way that they could finally enjoy legal protection.
Gallup’s analysis of its survey indicated that Obama’s weekly average approval rating remains depressed relative to the 45% to 50% readings seen for much of the first half of 2011.
“His rating had previously dropped to 43% in April before rebounding in early May, to 51%, on the news that American forces had killed Osama bin Laden. His weekly approval rating remained high throughout May, but then gradually decreased in June and July before first reaching his term low of 40% in August,” Gallup notes.
Gallup indicates the Obama numbers put him in league with presidents who either lost re-election or were re-elected in close races — predicting a close election battle next year.
“Obama’s initial 2011 approval ratings, averaging 49% in January, were just at the threshold that Gallup historical trends suggest are needed for a president seeking re-election to succeed. Gerald Ford lost his bid for the presidency in 1976 when his approval rating averaged 49%. However, Harry Truman averaged 48% job approval in 1948, the year he won a second term, and George W. Bush averaged 50% approval in 2004. All other successful incumbents had average job approval ratings of 50% or higher in their re-election year,” Gallup noted.
Also of importance in the effort to defeat Obama is the fact that independents have definitely soured on his presidency.
“Obama’s approval rating has decreased among all six partisan/ideology groups Gallup tracks on a regular basis since January, but it has dropped the most — 10 percentage points, from 40% to 30% — among pure independents,” Gallup noted. “These are the roughly 14% of national adults who neither identify with one of the two major parties nor indicate a leaning. Obama’s approval rating has declined by nearly as much — eight points — among moderate/liberal Republicans, from 29% to 21%.”
“Obama’s latest 43% weekly average approval rating matches his ratings for the prior four weeks. While slightly improved over his approval ratings earlier this fall, it stands well shy of where it started in 2011 and where it likely needs to be in 2012 for Obama to win re-election,” Gallup concludes.
