Obama Ties with Putin as Leader

EPA/ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/RIA NOVOSTI/KREMLIN POOL

A new Quinnipiac University national poll released today shows that the American public is divided whether President Barack Obama or Russian president Vladimir Putin is the stronger leader.

“It’s a tossup on who is a tougher leader President Barack Obama or President Vladimir Putin, as Americans weigh the heavyweight standoff over Ukraine,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the poll that conducts research in several states, in a release.

The poll—which surveyed 1,578 registered U.S. voters nationwide between March 26 to 31—gave Obama low marks for his handling of foreign policy issues, with 55 percent saying they disapproved and 39 percent saying they approved of his actions. Particularly regarding the situation in the Ukraine, 47 percent of Americans disapproved of Obama’s actions while 41 percent supported him.

In an Economist/YouGov poll last month of 1,000 adults, three out of four Americans said Putin is a strong leader, but less than half regarded Obama as one.

Approximately 80 percent of those surveyed in the new Quinnipiac poll said they are “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” that the Ukraine situation could lead to a larger crisis that would require U.S. military action, the poll noted.

On the economic front, the poll found that most Americans (55 percent) still oppose the President’s signature health care law, known as Obamacare. Roughly 58 percent of those surveyed said they don’t approve of Obama’s handling of health care while 39 percent supported him.

This story was produced by The Foundry’s news team. Nothing here should be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of The Heritage Foundation.