Poll says Obama's glow shines less brightly

WASHINGTON: The hope and optimism that washed over the United States in the opening months of Barack Obama's presidency are giving way to harsh realities.

An Associated Press-GfK Poll shows that a majority of Americans are back to thinking that the country is headed in the wrong direction after a fleeting period in which more thought it was on the right track.

Obama still has a solid 55 percent approval rating - better than Bill Clinton and about even with George W. Bush six months into their presidencies - but there are growing doubts about whether he can succeed at some of the biggest items on his to-do list. And there is a growing sense that he is trying to tackle too much too soon.