Barack Obama Approval Rating, Job Approval Rating | featured news

President Obama's job approval rating and level of voter support have reached the critical 50% point, according to Gallup, but there is still plenty of opportunity for the White House race to fluctuate. Gallup says Obama's job approval rating stands at 51%. At the same time, the president leads Mitt Romney 50%-44% among registered voters in the daily tracking poll -- similar to where the race stood after the Democratic convention this month.

President Obama is still reaping the dividends from this month's fight with the House GOP on extending the payroll tax. Obama's approval ratings are higher than his disapproval ratings for the first time since July, according to the latest Gallup Poll. About 47% of Americans approve of the way he is doing his job, while 45% disapprove of his performance. The three-day tracking poll was conducted Dec. 21-23.