Yowzie.

Obama’s job approval rating today dropped through another support level. It’s below 52.9%, Obama’s share of the 2008 presidential vote. In fact, it hit 51.4% today in the RealClearPolitics average; 51% in Gallup, 51% in Pew.

Obama still has a high rating compared to Bush 43’s second-term average. Bush’s ratings, however, killed not only his party’s chances in two elections, but also his ability to govern. Furthermore, Bush didn’t drop below his first-term election win percentage (47.9%) until May 2004, during his fourth year, and then only after the Abu Ghraib pictures were all over TV the previous week. That’s little consolation for Obama, especially since Bill Clinton’s job approval ratings never fell below Clinton’s election-winning percentages of 43.0% in 1992 and 49.2% in 1996.

Obama’s 52.9% winning percentage was the highest since 1988, and that higher figure’s an easier floor through which to fall. Still, it’s a fact that Obama, now just seven months in office, has less popular support than he had when he was elected. Yowzie.