Most national polls recently have had President Obama's job approval rating trending down, but an Associated Press/GfK survey conducted Oct. 1-5 showed his numbers have increased from 50 percent in September to 56 percent. Those who disapproved dropped from 49 percent to 39 percent.
Fifty percent voiced approval of Obama's handling of the economy, up from 44 percent in last month. Forty-eight percent approved of his handling of health care policy, up six points, but opinion is about evenly split, because 47 percent disapprove. The margin of error is 3.1 points.
Obama made gains among independents, with that group approving his performance by 53 percent to 37 percent. That amounted to a 9-point increase in approval over last month and a 13-point drop in those who disapproved.
AP polling on health care found Americans split at 40 percent each on whether they support or oppose the plans being discussed in Congress. In early September, after a month of attacks on the reform proposals, 49 percent oppose the measures and 34 percent supported them.
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