LOS ANGELES – Despite a strong showing during the lame-duck session of Congress, President Barack Obama closes out his second year in office with a slightly lower approval rating than at the end of 2009, according to a Gallup tracking poll.

The poll released Thursday found that the president’s approval rating was 47 percent, down slightly from his post-midterm-election peak of 49 percent but close to his average of 46 percent during that period. During the week between Christmas 2009 and New Year’s Day, Obama’s approval rating ranged from 51 percent to 53 percent.

Obama’s standing is better than two recent presidents who went on to win re-election.

Do you think Obama will be a one term president?

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