Barack Obama sees approval rating plummet

Barack Obama's decline in popularity since the summer is the worst of any US president at the same stage in a first term in over 50 years.

The most recent public opinion poll carried out by the research company Gallup found Mr Obama's approval rating stood at 53 per cent for the third quarter of 2009.

The figure represents a sharp drop for the 62 per cent he recorded from April.

When he first entered the White House, Mr Obama's rating stood at a lofty 78 per cent, but since then has been crippled by the long-running debate over his health reform plans and accusations he is "dithering" over sending more troops to Afghanistan.

Commenting on the latest opinion poll, Jeffrey Jones, from Gallup, said: "The dominant political focus for [Mr] Obama in the third quarter was the push for health care reform, including his nationally televised address to Congress in early September.

"[Mr] Obama hoped that Congress would vote on health care legislation before its August recess, but that goal was missed, and some members of Congress faced angry constituents at town hall meetings to discuss health care reform.

"Meanwhile, unemployment continued to climb near ten per cent."

Republicans have stepped up their attacks on the president in recent weeks, sensing public opinion turning against some of his more dividing policies.

In a speech to a thinktank in Washington last week, former US vice president Dick Cheney accused Mr Obama of being scared of making a decision on Afghnaistan.

"Having announced his Afghanistan strategy in March, President Obama now seems afraid to make a decision, and unable to provide his commander on the ground with the troops he needs to complete the mission," he said.

"It's time for President Obama to make good on his promise. The White House must stop dithering while America's armed forces are in danger.

"Make no mistake, signals of indecision out of Washington hurt our allies and embolden our adversaries.

"Waffling, while our troops on the ground face an emboldened enemy, endangers them and hurts our cause."

The US has delayed making any decision on further troop deployments until the result of a run-off in Afghanistan's presidential election are formally confirmed.