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[{"text": "WASHINGTON - The American public is unusually pessimistic about the direction of the country and increasingly fed up with Washington gridlock, a sour mood reflected in the worst disapproval ratings for President Barack Obama since he took office nearly five years ago."}, {"text": "People give elected officials unusually low grades - 31 percent rated them 'D' and 38 percent gave them an 'F,' according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll."}, {"text": "'The lack of confidence in Washington to right itself is showing up,' said Lee Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion in New York."}, {"text": "Obama's disapproval rating climbed to 53 percent \u2013 the worst in 29 polls since he took office in January 2009 - while 43 percent approved of his job performance."}, {"text": "The disapproval number was up sharply from the 47 percent reading in September and tops the previous high of 52 percent in September 2011."}, {"text": "Obama retained strong support among Democrats - 77-18 percent approval - and disdain from Republicans \u2013 90-8 percent disapproval."}, {"text": "Independents disapproved 56 percent to 41 percent."}, {"text": "Obama's personal ratings were also down."}, {"text": "By 52 percent to 46 percent, people had an unfavorable impression of him, the first time since November 2011 the negative number was higher."}, {"text": "The unfavorable number was also the worst he has endured."}, {"text": "Obama in recent weeks has been battered by turmoil over his health care program."}, {"text": "The highly touted website where people could sign up for coverage proved to be a dysfunctional embarrassment, and Obama had to backtrack from his assertion that people could keep their plans if they wanted."}, {"text": "Congress fared even worse. By 74 percent to 22 percent, voters disapprove of the Republicans' performance, the highest since the question was first asked in April 2011."}, {"text": "Republicans control the House of Representatives and 45 of the Senate's 100 seats."}, {"text": "People soured on Democrats, too. Sixty-four percent disapproved of congressional Democrats, who control the Senate."}, {"text": "Both Republican and Democratic disapproval numbers were up sharply from the last poll in July."}, {"text": "The numbers show that 'the unsures have cast their vote with the negatives,' Miringoff said."}, {"text": "The key reason for the glum ratings is the economy."}, {"text": "Though indicators suggest a healthy rebound, people aren't feeling it."}, {"text": "Instead, said Miringoff, the two Washington stories that have dominated headlines in recent months were the 16-day October government shutdown and the health care chaos."}, {"text": "That helped create pessimism that found two-thirds seeing things going in the wrong direction, while 30 percent felt matters were heading in the right direction."}, {"text": "Democrats were more optimistic, with the right-wrong direction split 57 percent to 40 percent."}, {"text": "Republicans overwhelmingly saw the country moving the wrong way - 95 percent to 4 percent - and independents saw matters heading in the wrong direction, 69 percent to 26 percent."}, {"text": "The federal budget drama is the most obvious symbol of Washington inertia."}, {"text": "Lawmakers have wrangled all year, passing stopgaps after extended, often bitter debate."}, {"text": "Negotiators this week are said to be close on a deal that will avoid another shutdown when money again runs out Jan. 15."}, {"text": "Obama gets low marks for his handling of the economy."}, {"text": "Fifty-eight percent disapproved of how he's dealing with it, while 40 percent approved."}, {"text": "More people blame Republicans for the budget mess - 48 percent said it's their fault while 38 percent named Obama."}, {"text": "Obama suffered in two other areas where he had shown some strength, foreign policy and personal appeal."}, {"text": "The latest poll was conducted after the administration announced a pact with Iran that eases some sanctions on that country, in exchange for some limits on Iran's nuclear program."}, {"text": "That plan has won little congressional support, as lawmakers from both parties have expressed doubts."}, {"text": "Forty-six percent approved of Obama's handling of foreign policy, while 51 percent did not."}, {"text": "Voters have mixed views about how all this will translate in next year's elections."}, {"text": "Equal numbers - 43 percent - said they would vote for a Republican or a Democratic candidate."}, {"text": "Independents preferred Republicans, 41 percent to 34 percent, while moderates favored Democrats, 49 percent to 35 percent."}, {"text": "METHODOLOGY This survey of 1,173 adults was conducted Dec. 3-5."}, {"text": "Adults 18 years of age and older residing in the continental United States were interviewed by telephone using live interviewers."}, {"text": "Landline telephone numbers were randomly selected based upon a list of telephone exchanges from throughout the nation from ASDE Survey Sampler Inc."}, {"text": "The exchanges were selected to ensure that each region was represented in proportion to its population."}, {"text": "To increase coverage, this landline sample was supplemented by respondents reached through random dialing of cellphone numbers from Survey Sampling International."}, {"text": "The two samples were then combined and balanced to reflect the 2010 census results for age, gender, income, race and region."}, {"text": "Results are statistically significant within plus or minus 2.9 percentage points."}, {"text": "There are 988 registered voters. The results for this subset are statistically significant within plus or minus 3.1 percentage points."}, {"text": "The error margin increases for cross-tabulations."}] |