One bright spot for President Obama in an otherwise dreary Washington Post/ABC News poll:

On the issues tested in the poll, Obama's worst ratings come on his handling of the federal budget deficit, where 56 percent disapprove and 40 percent approve. He scores somewhat better on health-care reform (45 percent approve) and regulation of the financial industry (44 percent). His best marks come on his duties as commander in chief, with 55 percent approving.

Voters also disapproved of Obama's job performance on the one other issue tested by the Post: 54 percent disapprove and 43 percent approve of how he's handling the economy.

So Obama's head was above water on just one of the five issues tested by the Post: his performance as commander in chief. Yet his overall approval rating is at 50 percent, which suggests that perhaps the president's determination to prosecute the war in Afghanistan is propping up his overall job performance rating.