New poll shows Obama approval continuing to sour

Disapproval of President Obama is hardening at new highs, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll released Wednesday, providing troubling signs for the president as he pushes his jobs program and girds for a hard-fought reelection battle.

Four in 10 Americans "strongly" disapprove of how the president is handling his job, up from 28 percent at the start of the year. Obama's disapproval rating has steadily grown since the beginning of the year as the economy has stalled.

Obama's troubling numbers can be partially attributed to the loss of independents. Forty-three percent of those not affiliated by party strongly disapprove of the job he has been doing. The president has also struggled with the elderly — 47 percent of those over 65 years of age strongly disapprove of his job performance.

Signs point to true dissatisfaction with the president's performance, rather than greater polarization between those who love and hate the president. Only 21 percent of those polled strongly approve of the job the president is doing, down from 20 percent in January. Only 43 percent of Democrats strongly approve of Obama's job performance.

Undoubtedly, Republicans feel more passionately about the president — a fact that could affect voter turnout in the coming election. Seventy-four percent of Republicans strongly disapprove of the president, meaning there is a 31-point disparity between the parties.

Still, there are a few encouraging signs for Obama. His "strongly approve" numbers are actually up from August, and his jobs plan seems like a hit with his base. More than 80 percent of both Democrats and liberals support the plan.

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