Why Obama's poll numbers are crashing: 5 theories

Economic forecasts are brightening, and the GOP presidential race is turning ugly. But puzzlingly, Obama's approval rating just hit a record low

President Obama's poll numbers have taken a sudden and drastic dip reflecting, in part, Americans' reservations over the country's lingering economic insecurities.
(Image credit: CC BY: The White House)

On Monday, when a Washington Post/ABC News poll showed President Obama's approval ratings sinking to dangerously low levels, some number-crunchers wrote it off as "statistical noise." Then, on Tuesday, a New York Times/CBS News poll delivered even worse news, showing Obama's approval rating falling 9 points in a month, to a record-low 41 percent. These dire poll numbers come just as the economy and job market seem to be steadily rebounding, and as Obama's Republican presidential rivals are locked in an often-ugly primary battle. Why is the president's popularity plummeting? Here, five theories:

1. Gas prices are taking their toll

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