Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not had much luck in trying to usher in an era of what he calls "postpartisanship" in Sacramento. But it appears that at least on one issue he has brought Californians of all political stripes together: their assessment of his job performance.

In a new poll released tonight, the Public Policy Institute of California reveals that Schwarzenegger's job performance has dropped to 32 percent -- down 5 points from a year ago and 16 points from April 2007.

What's remarkable about the assessment is that it crosses party lines. The opinions of Democrats, Republicans and independents are within a 5 percentage-point band.

Percentages that approve: Democrats, 33 percent; Republicans, 38 percent; independents, 34 percent.

Percentages that disapprove: Democrats, 57 percent; Republicans, 54 percent; independents, 52 percent.

The poll results help explain why partisanship is alive and well in American politics. Those who try to straddle the line usually end up alienating both sides, while those who appeal to one ideology or the other at least build strong support within that group.

A variation on that forumula is working for President Obama. The poll shows that the president enjoys a 70 percent approval rating in California. His support among Republicans is not that different from Schwarzenegger's -- 38 percent approve, while 50 percent disapprove. But among Democrats, 91 percent approve of the job Obama is doing.