Fox News Poll: 45 percent approve of Obama, as 83 percent say country still in recession

[Geee]

Fox News:

President Barack Obama’s job approval rating remains in negative territory -- unwelcome news for an incumbent running for re-election. Even so, the president’s regained some ground from earlier this month.

While 45 percent of American voters approve of the president’s performance, a 51-percent majority disapproves, according to a Fox News poll released Wednesday. That’s a bit of an improvement from two weeks ago when 42 percent approved and 51 percent disapproved (April 9-11).

One reason the president’s job approval suffers: 83 percent of voters think the country is still in a recession -- including 35 percent who think things could get worse. That’s little changed from a year ago, when 82 percent thought the country was still in a recession (with 38 percent saying things could get worse).

Overall, 15 percent of voters believe the recession is over. That’s mostly unchanged from 16 percent last year (April 2011).

Meanwhile, the poll finds an increase in optimism over the past two years. Fifty-four percent today think that while the economy is still in recession, things are getting better or think the recession is over and the economy is recovering. That’s up from 49 percent last year, and 43 percent who felt that way in 2010.