Forty-nine percent of Americans now express an unfavorable opinion of Obama, while 48 percent view him favorably — the first time his negative number has exceeded his positive one in this most basic measure of personal popularity. Obama’s favorable rating has plummeted by 31 points from his career high, 79 percent, days before he took office.

Gingrich is further underwater, with an unfavorable rating that’s essentially the same as Obama’s — 48 percent — but a favorable score that’s 13 points lower, 35 percent. (More are undecided about Gingrich than about the president.) Moreover, while just 23 percent see Obama “strongly” favorably, Gingrich’s core group of strong supporters is just half as large, 12 percent.