Obama Approval Rating Hits New Low in Latest National Opinion Poll

President Obama's job approval rating has hit a new low, according to the latest national opinion poll released Monday.

A CBS News poll -- conducted Jan. 6-10 -- found that 46 percent approve of how Obama is handling his job while 41 percent say they disapprove of the president's performance.

The results marked the first time Obama's approval rating has slipped below 50 percent in CBS News polling.  Just last month, 50 percent of Americans approved of Obama's performance in a CBS poll while 39 disapproved.

While support for Obama remains strong among Democrats, his approval rating among Independent voters has dropped dramatically to 42 percent -- a 10-point decline in recent months, according to the poll.

The paramount issue for Americans, according to the poll, is the president's handling of the economic recession.  Forty-one percent of those surveyed approve of Obama's efforts to revive the economy, while 47 percent disapprove, according to the poll.

The poll surveyed a random sample of 1,216 adults nationwide, and had a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Click here to see the poll results.