(The Hill) — President Obama arrived back in Washington after his August vacation to deal with a hurricane, but Irene was only the first of many tests awaiting the embattled commander-in-chief.

With his approval ratings at the lowest point in his presidency, Obama returns to face a restless Congress, a hurricane that tore up the East Coast, continued unrest and uncertainty in the Middle East and an ailing economy that is not expected to improve much before the 2012 elections.

“If the election were next Tuesday he’d lose. That’s how bad it is,” says a Democratic strategist.

Obama and his Republican opponents in Congress left Washington in early August bruised and bloodied after the protracted debt-ceiling fight. As both congressional leaders and the White House were exhaling — pleased that a potential default was dodged — Standard and Poor’s downgraded the nation’s credit rating. That sent markets tumbling across the globe, sparking more partisan finger-pointing.