Poll: Large majority disapprove of Congress but Americans split on Obama

Americans have a more positive view of President Barack Obama than Members of Congress after the contentious federal debt ceiling debate, according to a CBS News/New York Times poll released Thursday.

Although Americans remain divided over Obama's handling of the debt ceiling debate, he fared much better than Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

According to the poll (PDF), 72 percent disapprove of how the Republicans in Congress handled the debate, and 66 percent of Americans disapprove of how the Democrats handled it. In comparison, only 47 percent disapprove of Obama's handling of the situation, while 46 percent approve.

A record breaking 82 percent disapprove of the way Congress is doing its job.

The poll also found that Americans place more of the blame for the budget standoff on the Republicans. Forty-seven percent blame Republicans in Congress for the debt ceiling standoff, compared to 29 percent who blame Obama and Democrats in Congress.

The poll was conducted on August 2 and 3, immediately after lawmakers and the president reached an agreement to would raise the debt ceiling until 2013 and cut the federal deficit by about $2.1 trillion over a 10-year period.

The two-stage agreement, which was criticized by both tea party lawmakers and progressive Democrats, passed by a vote of 269 to 161 in the House and a vote of 74 to 26 in the Senate.

Not surprisingly, Americans are divided on the debt ceiling deal. Overall, 46 percent approve and 45 percent disapprove of it. Slightly more Democrats than Republicans approve of the deal. Forty-nine percent of Democrats approve and 42 percent of Republicans approve.

Forty-six percent of Americans think the debt ceiling deal will have no effected on the economy, 22 percent think it will have a positive effect and 24 percent think it will have a negative effect.

The poll surveyed a total of 960 Americans and was conducted by telephone.