A new CNN poll shows President Obama with an approval rating in the fifties for the first time since May of last year, the weeks after Osama bin Laden was killed, as 48 percent disapprove. Like other polling out this week, Obama’s improved rating translates into wider margins in matchups with his potential Republican challengers this fall among registered voters — Obama has a five point lead on former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (Romney had lead in February’s CNN polling), seven point leads on former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and a 13 point advantage on former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=152625