Another Poll: Obama Tumbling

Another poll has found President Obama's approval ratings falling sharply, and the Republican contenders gaining. The New York Times/CBS poll found that Obama's approval rating has dropped 9 points from just a month ago to 41%, with voters increasingly unsure about his handling of foreign affairs. The poll—echoing a Washington Post/ABC poll released yesterday—found that Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have gained against Obama, who now holds only a 3-point advantage over Romney, and 4 points over Santorum.

Obama's numbers have fallen across all demographic groups, although he still has a double-digit lead over both leading Republican challengers among women. Romney and Santorum, however, hold 6-point and 5-point leads over Obama among men. Obama's drop was especially steep among lower-income households most likely to be affected by rising gas prices, the Times notes. Some 54% of poll respondents believe the president can do a lot about gas prices, while 36% believe they are largely beyond a president's control. (More President Obama stories.)