Obama gets 80% approval rating nationwide, poll finds

President Obama receives strong grades for his first full month in office, as large majorities of Americans support his $787-billion economic stimulus package and the recently unveiled $75-billion plan for stemming mortgage foreclosures, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Nearly 70% believe Obama is bringing change to Washington, the poll found; 80% say he is meeting or exceeding their expectations. But bipartisan support has eroded. Just 37% of Republicans approve of how he has done his job, down from the 62% who gave him good marks for the transition. Almost all Americans consider the federal budget deficit to be a problem, but 63% said additional federal action will be needed to improve the economy.