Gallup: Obama Job Approval Up Slightly in 14th Quarter

Gallup ^ | 07/23/2012 | Jeffrey M. Jones

[SeekAndFind]

PRINCETON, NJ -- Barack Obama averaged 46.8% job approval during his 14^th quarter in office, marking a slight improvement from quarter 13. His quarterly average approval rating has improved at least slightly in each of the last three quarters after dipping to a low 41.0% in the 11^th quarter.

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Obama's 14^th quarter approval average ranks in the 32^nd percentile of all presidential quarterly approval averages Gallup has compiled since 1945, meaning it is well below the historical average of 54%. For his entire presidency to date, Obama has averaged 49% job approval.

The recent and continuing improvement in his approval rating, though, is a positive sign for his re-election prospects, but it remains below the 50% level that virtually assures a president of a second term in office. Obama appears in much better shape now than the two recently elected presidents who were denied a second term -- Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush -- both of whom averaged below 40% approval their 14^th quarters in office.

At the same time, Obama is not as well-positioned as the post-World War II elected presidents who were above 50% during their 14^th quarters and who all won re-election easily.

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Obama's 14^th quarter average is most similar to that of his immediate predecessor, George W. Bush, who won a narrow victory over John Kerry for re-election in 2004.

Obama's average is also similar to Gerald Ford's 46.0% from his eighth quarter in office, which occurred in the spring and early summer of 1976. Ford, who became president after Richard Nixon resigned, narrowly lost his attempt to win election in his own right, losing to Carter in the subsequent 1976 election.

[Hans]

Obama can easily cheat his way to a second term.

[MNDude]

I believe the unemployment rate in 2004 was about 5%. Now we’re not even including everyone that’s given up looking for work and are now on disability.

I believe gas prices were about $2 a gallon.

Property values were still on the rise.

I believe Bush had increased the national debt by $1.5 trillion within 4 years compared to Obama’s $7 trillion.

Amazing!

[bjcoop]

It’s because of the rallying of his base. The economy is not improving and a majority of americans know that.

[traditional1]

They’ll keep skewing the Polls by only adding “Holder’s People”, and that would give him 95% Approval in ALL areas....such as “Are you better off than you were 4 years ago?”....LOL

[ilgipper]

It went up .9% in a quarter. If it doubled its growth in the next quarter leading up the election, he would still be well under 50% by election day.

[LibLieSlayer]

The dims motivate and listen to their base and attack republicans at their request... our party listens to the dim base and attacks its base... some party huh?!

LLS

[Da Bilge Troll]

a random sample of 45,949 adults

This poll is utter trash.

[Gumdrop]

I am inclined to agree with you. This poll is trash. No way is Obama gaining in popularity. He has done nothing to improve the lives of our citizens. Rather, he has managed to insult another group of good working citizens, the business people. That, however, was only 10 days ago, so it will take another few weeks for this to percolate and lower his approval ratings further.

[Tennessean4Bush]

His approval rating will be around 42% in November. The economic news between now and then is going to only get worse.

[Da Bilge Troll]

No way is Obama gaining in popularity.

I don't think so either but when I said it was trash I meant because the polling sample, "adults", tells us nothing. It's not "likely voters" or even "registered voters", not even "citizens" - just a bunch of random "adults". Trash.