by Mark Silva
Nearing the close of his first quarter in office on Sunday, as he returns home to the White House following his second tour abroad as president, Barack Obama's public job-approval rating has averaged 63 percent during the first three months of his presidency, Gallup has found.
That places the Democrat roughly in the middle of the modern-day presidents - fourth in 10 -- for whom Gallup has first-quarter readings: Democrat John Kennedy started with the highest approval -- at 74 percent during his first quarter. Republican Dwight Eisenhower started strong as well - at 71 percent. And Democrat Jimmy Carter started out not far behind them - at 69 percent.
Basically, Obama's 63 percent approval during his first quarter matches the historical average for the first quarters of the 10 presidents who have served since 1953.
"Obama's job approval rating has not shown much variation to date, generally holding steady in the low 60% range,'' Gallup's Jeffrey Jones notes. "While such presidential "honeymoons" do not last forever, to the extent history is a guide, Obama's healthy ratings can be expected to persist for at least another quarter.
"Six of the last 11 presidents saw essentially no change in their approval ratings from the first to the second quarter in office.''
There have been exceptions:
"Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton both saw rather abrupt ends to their honeymoons,'' Gallup notes. "Ford's controversial pardon of Nixon sent his approval ratings plummeting. An early September 1974 poll (conducted mostly before Ford pardoned Nixon on Sept. 8) measured a 66 percent approval rating for Ford. By the next poll, Ford's approval rating was down to 50 percent, and continued declining thereafter.
"Clinton's 55 percent first-quarter average is the lowest for a recent president, and, after a number of controversial actions, his approval rating sank to 44 percent in his second quarter in office.
"There is not a typical pattern as to when honeymoons end,''' Jones writes. "Several presidents who did not show declining approval ratings in their second quarter in office did so by their third quarter, but others' ratings held steady for the better part of their first year. Still others, including both Bushes, saw increases in their approval ratings after international crises...''
Bottom line:
"President Obama is off to a solid start as president, as far as his job approval ratings are concerned,'' Jones writes for Gallup. "His 63 percent first-quarter average is better than the averages of each of his four predecessors, and the fourth best since 1953.
"Perhaps the biggest legislative accomplishment of his first quarter has been the passage of the economic stimulus bill. In the second quarter, Congress will likely begin work in earnest on his proposed budget. How that process plays out, whether the economy shows definite signs of improvement, and how well Obama deals with ongoing international challenges, will determine whether his ratings stay strong or begin to show decline.''
This president also is getting a lot closer look from the pollsters: This is the first time that Gallup has tracked a president's job approval daily from the start of his term.
And Gallup has talked to a lot of people about this: About 500 a day. The Gallup daily tracking run from Jan. 21 through April 15 carries a possible margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
Comments
Obama has won the trust of the American people for at least the rest of the summer.
That his numbers could stay this high in the midst of constant criticism from Republicans and turbulent economic and political times is amazing.
http://www.political-buzz.com/
Posted by: matt | April 17, 2009 8:41 AM
It is a great start for the Obama-Biden team. They seen to be following up, on their campaign promises. I am very eager to see the Healthcare plan that Senator Kennedy has ben working on, so diligently, since President Obama's election. They are off to a great start and I wish them, and our country, well !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, America | April 17, 2009 9:41 AM
There are big cracks in his eggshell as we see the WH and MSM desperately attempting to minimizing the tea party protests. And how about the banks and private financial sector saying no to Obama's/Turbo Tim's toxic assets purchase program. Glad to see them paying back the bailout dollars. What? Obama refusing the money but wants to keep his nose under their tent! How socialists! Guess they had enough of the "toxic" WH rhetoric and government oversight that changes with the political whims of the Dems. Yes, I have never seen protests during the first 100 day honeymoon. Darn, must be Bush's fault again, as the Obama mantra goes. The worm is turning, Americans are starting to ask questions, but you never hear it from MSM, they have too much invested in their mess-iah.
Posted by: bubba Porter | April 17, 2009 9:47 AM
There are big cracks in his eggshell as we see the WH and MSM desperately attempting to minimizing the tea party protests. And how about the banks and private financial sector saying no to Obama's/Turbo Tim's toxic assets purchase program. Glad to see them paying back the bailout dollars. What? Obama refusing the money but wants to keep his nose under their tent! How socialists! Guess they had enough of the "toxic" WH rhetoric and government oversight that changes with the political whims of the Dems. Yes, I have never seen protests during the first 100 day honeymoon. Darn, must be Bush's fault again, as the Obama mantra goes. The worm is turning, Americans are starting to ask questions, but you never hear it from MSM, they have too much invested in their mess-iah.
Posted by: bubba Porter | April 17, 2009 9:47 AM
Agree - The egg shell is cracking slowly but sure such as recent antics-
Bowing to a King-
Having religious symbols covered-
Posted by: Inky | April 17, 2009 10:17 AM
bubba and the "baggers" are feelin good. While probably less than maybe 5% actually earn more than 250K and will not see a tax hike, it is good to know so many care and worry about the 5% who do. I have to give them kudos for putting America in the toilet then using the anger of our situation to try and make a comeback. Only problem is? America ain't bitin'. bubba keeps seeing those numbers dropping....knows America is wakin up........I guess all that "teabaggin" has blocked his view and can't see the numbers correctly.
Posted by: bill r. | April 17, 2009 10:34 AM
Agree - The egg shell is cracking slowly but sure such as recent antics-
Bowing to a King-
Having religious symbols covered-
Posted by: Inky | April 17, 2009 10:17 AM
Somethings cracked all right, but it isn't an eggshell. Please let us know why you have such distaste for respect to others? Didn't your mommy tell you to play nice and respect others? Funny how you on the right flip the heck out over a women wearing "Islamic" garb...but an issue over religious symbols. Is it just the wrong religion Inky?
Posted by: bill r. | April 17, 2009 10:46 AM
They have protests every April 15, Bubba Porter. So this year Glenn Beck happened to show up. So what?
Posted by: Flo | April 17, 2009 10:55 AM
They have protests every April 15, Bubba Porter. So this year Glenn Beck happened to show up. So what?
Posted by: Flo | April 17, 2009 10:55 AM
Flo....Maybe we should tell them about our celebration for the return of decent government we are holding on July 4th. I bet we have a big turnout.
Posted by: bill r. | April 17, 2009 12:25 PM
They have protests every April 15, Bubba Porter. So this year Glenn Beck happened to show up. So what?
Posted by: Flo | April 17, 2009 10:55 AM
Flo....Maybe we should tell them about our celebration for the return of decent government we are holding on July 4th. I bet we have a big turnout.
Posted by: bill r. | April 17, 2009 12:33 PM
You can say that again, Bill R.
And remind Bubba that the protests weren't of the 100 days; they were protesting the bailouts of the Hank Paulson administration.
Posted by: Flo | April 17, 2009 1:38 PM
Obama is George W Bush on steroids - more war not less, more inflation and spending of money the government does not have, more bailouts for bad companies, more infringing on the civil liberties of the American people. Obama supporters fail to see the similarities to his predecessor, which is amazing. Next time vote libertarian if you want real change.
Posted by: Liberty | April 17, 2009 4:53 PM
billy, glad to see that you were mentioned in the DHS alert on lefty lap-top cyber extremists. Hope your ACLU card is up to date.
Posted by: bubba Porter | April 18, 2009 9:01 AM