Obama ratings sink to new lows as hope fades

(Pablo Martinez Monsivais/ AP ) - President Barack Obama is hugged by a member of the audience after speaking at a Labor Day event at Detroit's Renaissance Center, headquarters of General Motors, Monday, Sept., 5, 2011, in Detroit, Mich.

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By Jon Cohen and Dan Balz, Updated: Tuesday, September 6, 6:05 AM

Public pessimism about the direction of the country has jumped to its highest level in nearly three years, erasing the sense of hope that followed President Obama’s inauguration and pushing his approval ratings to a record low, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
More than 60 percent of those surveyed say they disapprove of the way the president is handling the economy and, what has become issue No. 1, the stagnant jobs situation. Just 43 percent now approve of the job he is doing overall, a new career low; 53 percent disapprove, a new high.