Growing disapproval for Obama in new AP poll

According to a fresh Associated Press poll, public disapproval of President Barack Obama's handling of health care has increased to 52 percent.

The poll was released hours before Obama pitches his version of a health care overhaul in a prime-time address to both houses of Congress. Obama's marks are also poor on the economy, with 52 percent saying they disapprove of how he's handled that issue. The survey of 1,001 adults with cell and landline telephones was conducted from Sept. 3-8. It had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Meanwhile, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., a top Senate negotiator, conceded that the government-run insurance program demanded by the president's supporters cannot pass the Senate. The same poll concludes that with health care reform crawling and unemployment reaching ever higher, Obama's overall approval rating has also plummeted. The survey showed that 49 percent now disapprove of how he is handling his job as president, up from 42 percent who disapproved in July. Baucus is a key Democrat who is working with a bipartisan committee on health care reform. Obama favors the public option as do many liberal house democrats including Nancy Pelosi. If Obama demands a government-run system, he could lose fiscally moderate "Blue Dog" Democrats; if he does not insist on a government option, he may lose liberal Democrats. No Republicans have committed to vote for Obama's version of health care reform. "The public option cannot pass the Senate," Baucus said. "I could be wrong, but it's my belief that the public option cannot pass."