Poll: Obama Popularity Lags Bush After First Month

(Newsmax).The media may be smitten with President Barack Obama, but recent Gallup poll results show Americans giving the new president lower marks after one month in the White House than former President George W. Bush earned at the same point in his administration.

Heading into this week’s address to Congress, the Gallup figures showed 59 percent of Americans approved of Obama’s efforts so far, while 25 percent disapproved, and 16 percent had no opinion. According to PollingReport.com, President Bush had a 62 percent approval rating one month into his first term, with 21 percent disapproving, and 17 percent having no opinion.

“For the first time since Gallup began tracking Barack Obama’s presidential job approval rating on Jan. 21, fewer than 60 percent of Americans approve of the job he is doing as president,” the Gallup report reads. The drop below 60 percent approval was fueled largely by a drop in satisfaction among independents, Gallup pollsters added.

Late last week, polls showed 62 percent of independents approved of Obama, compared with 54 percent in the last three days, according to NewsBusters. Obama’s approval rating among Democrats has dipped slightly, while approval among Republicans has not changed significantly.

While it may be difficult to tell from the glowing media accounts of his fledgling administration, even Obama’s highest approval numbers were never all that special. Gary Langer, director of polling at ABC News reports that Obama’s early ratings are in line with the one-month of George H. W. Bush, John F. Kennedy, and even Jimmy Carter.