We keep hearing about how popular President Obama is, but what exactly are his approval numbers? What percentage of the population actually approves of the job he’s doing?
Let’s first take a look at Gallup. According to its daily tracker, 66% of the population approves of the job the president is doing. That’s down from near 70% a few days ago. There’s not much more data there, so let’s head over to Rasmussen Reports.
According to Rasmussen Reports’ Daily Presidential Approval Index, 37% strongly approve of the job Obama is doing. A total of 61% of Americans approve of the way the president has been governing.
Okey dokey, now let’s check Democracy Corps’ latest poll. A full 55% of the public approves of President Obama’s governance. The RCP average, while we’re there, is 61.8% approval.
The USA Today/Gallup poll has the number at 64%, down from 83% just before the inauguration. That’s a 19% drop in two weeks.
For comparison purposes, President Bush finished his third year in office with a 63% approval rating. You know, the same President Bush whose time in the White House led to Democrats taking over all elected branches? Yeah, his approval rating was 2% higher three years in (by way of Rasmussen and RCP) than Obama’s is less than two weeks in. Lyndon Johnson, unable to even seek his own party’s renomination, had a 74% approval.
So note to GOP Senators: Stick to your convictions and do your job. Don’t worry about the current popularity of the president. Popularity is fleeting.
by Stephan Tawney on Tue, Feb 3, 2009