CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL For release: December 10, 2013 6:30 pm ET

Assessments of the ACA and the President Improve, But Remain Low December 5-8, 2013 Most Americans (58%) dont think the sign-up for the new health care exchanges is going well, but more than a third 36% -- think it is improving. Approval of the Affordable Care Act has risen since last months low. 39% now approve, up eight points and about where it was in September. More - 50% - disapprove of the law. President Barack Obamas job rating is now 42%, up five points from his all-time low last month and also similar to what it was in September. 50% disapprove. The Presidents approval rating on health care has increased since last month to 41% now -- but still a 55% majority disapproves. The ACA This poll finds some improvement in overall views of the health care law since last month, although more Americans disapprove than approve of it, as they have since the law was passed. 50% now disapprove of the health care law, while 39% approve. These percentages are similar to polls conducted earlier in the fall, but are more positive compared to last month, when disapproval reached an all-time high of 61%. Views of the Health Care Law 11/2013 10/2013 31% 43% 61 51

Approve Disapprove

Now 39% 50

9/2013 39% 51

7/2013 36% 54

Still, just 16% of Americans think sign-up on the health care exchanges has been going well and far more, 58%, think its not going well. However, the percentage that says it is not going well has dropped nine points since last month. How is the Sign-up on the Health Care Exchanges Going? Now 11/2013 10/2013 Well 16% 11% 12% Not well 58 67 49 Dont know enough 26 23 38

But just over a third sees some improvement in the sign-up process. 36% think the sign-up for the health care exchanges is getting better. 44% think it is staying the same, and another 13% think it is getting worse. Sign-up on the Health Care Exchanges Is Getting Better 36% Same 44 Worse 13 Even 33% of those who say the sign-up is not going well think the process is getting better. The President: Ratings and Qualities Barack Obamas job approval rating has risen slightly from an all-time low of 37% last month to 42% now. Last months low occurred as his administration weathered a highly-criticized roll out of the health care exchange website under the Affordable Care Act. Disapproval of how the president is handling his job is also down seven points from 57% last month to 50% now. President Obamas Job Rating 11/2013 10/2013 9/2013 37% 46% 43% 57 49 49

Approve Disapprove

Now 42% 50

2/2013 52% 38

3/2012 41% 47

In particular, there has been an improvement in the way Americans view the job President Obama is doing handling health care. While most Americans still disapprove of his handling of it, approval has risen nine points since November, from 32% (a record low) to 41% today. There has also been a bump up in approval of his handling of foreign policy. Now, the percentage that approves (42%) is nearly even with disapproval (44%). Assessment of his handling of the economy remains at 37% - unchanged from last month. President Obamas Job Ratings on Issues ------- Now --------------- 11/2013 --------Approve Disapprove Approve Disapprove 42% 44 38% 50 41% 55 32% 65 37% 58 37% 60

Foreign policy Health care Economy

The Presidents improved rating on handling health care is largely due to a rally by Democrats. 70% of Democrats approve of the way Mr. Obama is handling health care, up 11 points from last month. Approval among Republicans and independents has also risen six points each, though most still disapprove. President Obamas Handling of Health Care ------------- Now ----------------------- 11/2013----------Total Reps Dems Ind Total Reps Dems Ind 41% 11% 70% 35% 32% 5% 59% 29% 55 88 22 61 65 94 36 68

Approve Disapprove

The President has not made any headway since last months poll on two measures: his honesty and whether or not he shares the priorities of most Americans. Americans are divided over whether President Obama is honest and trustworthy 49% say he is and 46% say he is not. President Obama: Honest and Trustworthy Now 11/2013 Yes 49% 49% No 46 48 There is greater consensus that Mr. Obama does not share their priorities 58% of Americans say he does not. President Obama: Shares your Priorities Now 11/2013 Yes 38% 38% No 58 59 Congress Approval of how Congress is handling its job remains dismal. Only 10% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, just one percentage point above the all-time low of 9%. 83% disapprove. Job Rating of Congress Now 11/2013 10% 11% 83 85

Approve Disapprove

10/2013 9% 85

The Economy and Countrys Direction While the nations unemployment rate is now at a five year low, most Americans (61%) continue to say the economy is in bad shape. 37% now think the economy is good, a slight uptick from last month and at the same level it was in the summer. Condition of the Economy 10/2013 9/2013 7/2013 32% 35% 37% 66 63 61

Now Good 37% Bad 61

11/2013 33% 65

1/2013 32% 66

12/2012 29% 69

The publics economic outlook isnt especially positive. 27% think the economy is getting better, while 30% say it is getting worse. 42% think it is staying the same. Direction of the Economy 10/2013 9/2013 7/2013 21% 29% 30% 38 27 24 41 44 45

Now Better 27% Worse 30 Same 42

11/2013 25% 33 41

1/2013 33% 30 36

12/2012 33% 23 43

As it has since 2008, the economy and jobs is the top concern for Americans (24%),followed by health care (13%), the budget and the national debt (6%), government issues (5%) and partisan politics (4%). Most Important Problem Now 11/2013 24% 31% 13 15 6 7 5 3 4 5 4 4

Economy & Jobs Health care Budget deficit/debt Govt issues Partisan politics The President

10/2013 26% 8 12 5 8 3

Americans remain mostly pessimistic about where the country his headed: 30% think it is headed in the right direction, but far more 63% - say things are off on the wrong track. Direction of the Country Now 11/2013 10/2013 9/2013 7/2013 1/2013 12/2012 Right direction 30% 27% 23% 29% 35% 38% 37% Wrong track 63 68 72 66 60 57 57 _______________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted by telephone December 5-8, 2013 among 1,000 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by Social Science Research Solutions of Media, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish . This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL Assessments of the ACA and the President Improve, but Remain Low December 5-8, 2013 Q1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? ** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ** Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 42 10 78 34 50 87 15 53 8 3 7 12

Approve Disapprove Don't know/No answer

Nov13c % 37 57 7

Q2. Do you feel things in this country are generally going in the right direction or do you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? Right direction Wrong track Don't know/No answer 30 63 7 8 91 1 55 36 9 25 65 10 27 68 5

Q3. What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today? Economy & Jobs Healthcare Budget deficit Miscellaneous Govt Issues Partisan Politics Barack Obama/The President Immigration Big Government/Bureaucracy Moral values/family values Income Gap Poverty/Homelessness/Hunger Education Politicians/government Other Don't know/No answer 24 13 6 5 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 24 2 22 13 9 6 2 8 * 5 3 1 2 3 25 1 25 10 3 3 9 5 2 6 5 1 1 28 2 25 15 6 5 2 5 4 4 4 3 2 3 1 18 3 31 15 7 3 5 4 1 2 3 1 2 2 2 18 4

Q4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling foreign policy? Approve Disapprove Don't know/No answer 42 44 14 17 73 10 68 16 15 38 47 15 38 50 12

Q5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy? ** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ** Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 37 9 69 28 58 89 26 63 6 2 5 8

Approve Disapprove Don't know/No answer

Nov13c % 37 60 3

Q6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling health care? Approve Disapprove Don't know/No answer 41 55 5 11 88 1 70 22 8 35 61 4 32 65 3

Q8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job? Approve Disapprove Don't know/No answer Q9-Q11 Held for future release Q12. How would you rate the condition of the national economy these days? Is it very good, fairly good, fairly bad, or very bad? Very good Fairly good Fairly bad Very bad Don't know/No answer 3 34 36 25 2 * 18 43 37 2 3 51 27 16 2 3 32 39 24 2 2 31 37 28 2 10 83 7 9 84 6 11 82 7 10 82 8 11 85 5

Q13. Do you think the economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same? Better Worse Same Don't know/No answer Q14-Q18 BLANK Q19. Do you think Barack Obama has the same priorities for the country as you have, or doesn't he? Yes, he does No, he doesnt Don't know/No answer 38 58 4 7 91 2 70 25 6 33 63 5 38 59 3 27 30 42 1 12 40 46 2 46 17 34 3 22 34 44 * 25 33 41 1

Q20. Do you think Barack Obama is honest and trustworthy, or not? ** TOTAL RESPONDENTS ** Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 49 19 85 40 46 77 13 51 5 4 2 8

Is honest and trustworthy Is not Don't know/No answer Q21-Q26 Held for future release

Nov13c % 49 48 3

Q27. From what you've heard or read, do you approve or disapprove of the health care law that was enacted in 2010? Strongly approve Somewhat approve Somewhat disapprove Strongly disapprove Don't know/No answer Q28-Q38 Held for future release Q39. As you may know, as part of the 2010 health care law, health insurance exchanges have opened up so people can sign up for health insurance. Based on what youve heard or read, has the sign-up for the health care exchanges been going very well, somewhat well, not very well, not at all well, or dont you know enough to say? Very well Somewhat well Not very well Not at all well Dont know enough to say Don't know/No answer 3 13 25 33 26 1 3 2 26 55 13 1 5 24 27 10 32 1 1 10 23 36 29 1 3 8 26 41 23 * 16 23 13 37 11 3 7 16 68 5 33 34 10 11 12 10 24 14 40 13 15 16 15 46 8

Q39A. Do you think the sign-up for the health-care exchanges is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same? Better Worse Same Dont know/No Answer 36 13 44 7 UNWEIGHTED 1000 263 335 402 17 23 51 8 59 5 31 5 29 13 50 8

WEIGHTED

Total Respondents Total Republicans Total Democrats Total independents

253 322 425