BARACK OBAMA IS not worried about his falling position in polls ahead of next year’s US presidential election.

“One of the things that I learned very early on is not to worry about polls, because if I was worrying about polls, I wouldn’t be sitting here,” he told NBC News in an interview to be broadcast later today.

“I was down about 30 points around this time in my first run for [the] presidency.”

The main criticism levelled at the incumbent has been about stubbornly high unemployment rates and low job creation.

According to a transcript seen by Reuters, Obama said it is understandable that the American people are “impatient” after living through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Commenting on possible Republican candidates for the 2012 election, Obama said he believes both Mitt Romney and Rick Perry are “credible” candidates.

Both are seeking the Republican Party’s presidential nomination but asked specifically about Perry, Obama said, “He’s been the governor of a big state. And you know, there’s no doubt he’s a credible candidate, as is Mr. Romney and a whole bunch of other folks.”

Meanwhile, Romney’s campaign is focusing on discrediting Perry’s plans for Social Security, according to the Washington Post.