Polls show dampening enthusiasm as Obama inaugurated

Americans are far less excited about President Obama's second inauguration than his first swearing-in, according to a CNN/ORC poll released Monday.

In the survey, just half of all Americans said they were "thrilled or happy" about President Obama's second inaugural, down from 68 percent who described themselves as excited at the beginning of his first term. That 50 percent is identical to the sentiment at the beginning of former President George W. Bush's second term.

Moreover, 62 percent of those surveyed called the inauguration a celebration for supporters of the president, while just 35 percent described it as a celebration of democracy. In 2009, only 39 percent called the ceremony an event tailored for the president's political supporters.

"The thrill is gone, along with the hope that the start of a new presidential term of office will bring a divided nation together," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "In fact, Obama's second inaugural is shaping up less like his first one and more like the second inauguration of George W. Bush in 2005."

The survey was released on the same day that Gallup announced that Obama's approval rating in his first term was lower than every president's since World War II, except Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. Obama carried an average approval rating of 49.1 percent, edging Ford's 47.2 percent over an abbreviated term and Carter's 45.5 percent. Obama was narrowly edged by former President Clinton, who carried a 49.1 percent approval.

"Obama's first-term approval average, like those of most presidents with lower first-term averages, was likely dragged down by a sluggish economy," Gallup's Jeffrey Jones said. "Clinton and Reagan saw higher second-term approval as the economy improved. Obama's approval rating has also shown improvement, with a 48.1% average in his fourth year in office after a 44.4% average in his third year."

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