President Obama's approval rating recovered from last week's all time low (42% this week compared to 39% last week). Perhaps he was buoyed by the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" on Saturday, an issue that he campaigned on in 2008. On news of the repeal, assessments of President Obama's handling of the issue of gay rights jumped from 29% last week to 41% this week. This is the highest level of approval the President has ever enjoyed on this issue and the first time in six months that his supporters outnumber his opponents.
48% of Americans support the repeal and 27% oppose. That level of support is five points higher than the Economist/YouGov poll measured in November, several weeks before the repeal. Most of the support comes from Democrats, 69% of whom support allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the military. The gains in support also come from independents, a slim majority of whom now favor the repeal (52% compared to 42% in November). Republicans remain opposed, with only 29% supporting the repeal and 50% opposed.
