ANALYSIS - The summer blues: What's a U.S. president to do?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It's as certain as death and taxes. Presidents have periods of popularity and then periods of not so much. Barack Obama, his honeymoon with the U.S. public seemingly on the wane, is going through the summer doldrums.

His effort to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system is drawing mixed reviews, so too his handling of the U.S. economy. His overall job approval has declined to 53 percent.