Family Life

08.15.11 | Sarah Harnisch

   President Obama's approval rating is as low as it's ever been since he took office. New numbers posted Sunday by Gallup show 39-percent of Americans approve of the president's job performance.  The approval rating sank below 40-percent for the first time. Obama Monday will embark on a three-state, five-town bus tour deep in the heart of the American Midwest, hoping to tell the public—and potential voters--some small-business success stories and highlight economic development in rural areas. He’ll also be looking to rebut criticism that he’s not focused on finding solutions to bolster the flat-lining economy. Although the White House says the timing is coincidental, Obama will be visiting Iowa on the heels of Bachmann’s triumph in the GOP Straw Poll and Perry’s visit to the state, delivering a counterargument to the candidates’ incessant attacks on his handling of the economy.