New Low: Obama's Job Approval Rating Sinks Below 40% For First Time

President Barack Obama's job approval rating sunk below 40 percent for the first time, according to Gallup's daily tracking poll.

Data posted Sunday showed just 39 percent of Americans said they approve of Obama's performance as president, while 54 percent said they disapprove.

His approval ratings have been in the 40 percent range for much of the year, ticking up to the low 50s in May when Osama bin Laden was killed.

At two and a half years into his presidency, Obama's approval ratings are lower than former President Bill Clinton's were in August 1995.

Former President George W. Bush's Gallup ratings did not drop below 40 percent until October 2005, two months after Hurricane Katrina.

Gallup polled 1,500 adults from August 11-13. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.