Obama's approval rate soars

[Independent voter]

Wonder if it has anything to do with Hillary and Trump. If you say Obama should be allowed to run for a third term these days, people either agree or remain silent, not too long ago they would strongly disagree.



When the ball dropped in Times Square on Jan. 1 of this year, more than half of the country disapproved of the job that President Obama was doing, according to Gallup. That boded poorly for the Democrats over the course of the year; presidential approval correlates to both how his party fares in the presidential race (even if he's not on the ticket) but also to the results of Senate races. An unpopular Obama suggested a less popular whoever-was-about-to-win-the-Democratic-nomination.

But over the course of the year, Obama's approval numbers changed -- quickly, and a lot. In Gallup's most recent weekly average, Obama is at 51-45 -- the exact opposite of where he was on Jan. 1 and a 12-point swing since then. He's been at 50 percent or higher in every week since March 1, save one.

We looked at this shortly after Obama first hit the 50 percent mark, noting that his approval had been climbing pretty steadily for a few months. At that point, we speculated that it was probably linked to the campaign; after all, the last time he was above 50 percent, he'd been propelled there by his own reelection.

Looking at quarterly averages of Obama's approval, you can see how stark the improvement has been by party. Democrats have slowly looked at Obama more favorably since the beginning of 2015, but independents have begun to look at Obama much more favorably. After a sharp slide following his reelection, independents turned their opinions of Obama around at the beginning of 2014. Over the past year, that's escalated. And since ratings from Democrats and Republicans are more stable, that shift by independents moves the needle a lot.

[zenkai]

Not surprised since he is acting like a Republican President

[Deleted]

When your only alternatives are Hilary and Trump, you start to realize what you are about to lose ...

[Deleted]

Because having to choose between Hillary and Trump is something like this

[Lenonis]

The higher Obama's approval rating is the worse news it is for the GOP, especially with the Senate on the line.

[primalmatter]

The higher Obama's approval rating is the worse news it is for the GOP, especially with the Senate on the line.

I can't see how it worse they are more or less a shambling corpse at this point. The democrats are not doing far better considering how many of them are on the edge of turning into full blown communists.

[Thepersona]

I can't see how it worse they are more or less a shambling corpse at this point. The democrats are not doing far better considering how many of them are on the edge of turning into full blown communists.

democrats? communism? what are you smoking? (can you give me some?)
you know that communism (in the marxist variant) is a classless, stateless society with public control of the means of production?
what is communism for you?

[Garnier Fructis]

I can't see how it worse they are more or less a shambling corpse at this point. The democrats are not doing far better considering how many of them are on the edge of turning into full blown communists.

If you think a lot of Democrats are on the verge of becoming communist, then your idea of democrats or communists is faulty. Or both.

[Shadowmelded]

Time to repeal the 22nd amendment?

[Alvito]

When your only alternatives are Hilary and Trump, you start to realize what you are about to lose ...

Yeah, I'd happily have Bush or Obama for a 3rd term. I would have thought telepathic flying icecream people would have invaded earth before that would have been a welcome thought a few years ago.

[Damajin]

The higher Obama's approval rating is the worse news it is for the GOP, especially with the Senate on the line.

He's on his farewell tour, doing softball duties and the political insiders are turning their attention to the transition of power. Pretty hard to not have good approval ratings when you're doing the Presidential equivalent of ice cream socials.

[Blobfish]

John F Kennedy put Men into Space.

Barack Obama put Men into Womens Toilets.

[kail]

democrats? communism? what are you smoking? (can you give me some?)
you know that communism (in the marxist variant) is a classless, stateless society with public control of the means of production?
what is communism for you?

It means w/e is left according to him and others. Communism has joined the buzzword pool that people use regardless of relevance or meaning.

[BuckSparkles]

It means w/e is left according to him and others. Communism has joined the buzzword pool that people use regardless of relevance or meaning.

Kind of like fascist and nazi?

[Nfinitii]

It's because he is at the end of his term. I'm kind of surprised it's not lower though.

[hrugner]

When your only alternatives are Hilary and Trump, you start to realize what you are about to lose ...

No kidding, I'd kill to have them as context for the things I do with my time. "Sure I jerked off all day and ate all the meat and fruit in the house without buying groceries, but have you seen what Trumpillary is up to?"

[Breccia]

Why wouldn't it? He's actually trying to get something done. It's not like he's Congress or anything.

[Hooked]

Its only the calm before the storm. The republicans have been collecting mounds of stuff to use.

[Garnier Fructis]

Its only the calm before the storm. The republicans have been collecting mounds of stuff to use.

So, like, another 50 investigations into Benghazi?

[PC2]

Cool, if they are stupid enough to think they got the change they wanted then the joke is on them.