(powerlineblog).Gallup reports that 56% of the public believes that Obama is doing an excellent/good job. Gallup reported 62% approved of George W. Bush's job performance after the first 100 days. MSM tells us how popular Barack Obama is but the numbers tell a different story especially when used comparatively. Comparing the Gallup poll taken following the first 100 day of George W. Bush and Barack Obama is rather informative especially given the highly contentious nature of the 2000 election.
At the same point in their first term, George W. Bush scored 62 percent (despite Florida!); Jimmy Carter 63 percent; and Ronald Reagan 67 percent in the Gallup poll. Among recent Presidents, the lowest-rated at this stage was Bill Clinton at 55 percent.
We can contrast Gallup's numbers with Scott Rasmussen's. The big difference between Rasmussen's survey and Gallup's is that Rasmussen's is a "likely voter" poll. Rasmussen also seems to control for party affiliation in a way that makes his numbers less volatile and, I think, more realistic. In Rasmussen's survey, Obama's approval rating has been between 54 percent and 56 percent for some time now, and "strong approvals" outnumber "strong disapprovals" by only a few percentage points.
The bottom line, I think, is that most Americans haven't given up on Obama. Nor should they--after all, they elected him just a few months ago. At the same time, his overall approval, especially with those who pay a minimal amount of attention and vote, is nothing extraordinary. What is really significant, I think, is that Obama's popularity is muted even though the ill effects of his policies have yet to be felt. Taxes haven't gone up yet; inflation hasn't hit; deficits have not yet proved (as they undoubtedly will) to greatly exceed Obama's estimates; years of slow growth and elevated unemployment due to statist policies are still in the future; and foreign policy setbacks are yet to come.
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