Gallup: Views of Obama are polarized

Democrats like President Obama -- Republicans do not.

The Gallup Poll reports that President Obama is becoming one of the most polarizing presidents to seek re-election, a symbol of our polarized times.

"Thus far in October, an average of 90% of Democrats, and 8% of Republicans, approve of the job Barack Obama is doing as president," Gallup reports.

Says Gallup: "That 82-percentage-point gap in approval ratings by party is on pace to be the largest Gallup has measured for a recent incumbent president in the final month before Americans vote on his re-election. George W. Bush had an 80-point party gap in approval, while the October gaps for other presidents were less than 70 points."

Gallup's bottom line:

"Like his immediate predecessor, George W. Bush, President Obama gets near-universal approval from supporters of his own party and near-universal disapproval from supporters of the opposition party as he seeks re-election. Perhaps not coincidentally, both presidents had tough re-election battles, with Bush narrowly defeating John Kerry in 2004 and Obama trying to hold off Mitt Romney's strong challenge for his job this year.

"That underscores the importance of turnout by the party groups in the Nov. 6 election, given that views of the president are largely fixed. Another key in determining Obama's electoral fate may be which side of the 50% approval mark independent voters wind up on; they have been very near 50% approval in recent weeks."