May 16, 2014 11:59 AM
President Obama
The public’s grade on the job President Obama is doing (as found by Gallup 5/7-9/14) is 45% approval/50% disapproval. Of the 6 most recent, two-term Presidents at this point in their second term, Obama’s current approval rating is better than George Bush II and Richard Nixon. He trails Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Dwight Eisenhower. The list of 6 follows:| Approve | Disapprove | |
| Reagan | 68 | 23 (5/19/86) |
| Clinton | 64 | 31 (5/10/98) |
| Eisenhower | 53 | 32 (5/12/58) |
| Obama | 44 | 50 (5/9/14) |
| G Bush (II) | 33 | 61 (5/11/06) |
| Nixon | 25 | 58 (5/13/74) |
| Date | NBC/WSJ | WP/ABC | CNN/ORC | NYT/CBS |
| May 2014 | xxx | xxx | 43/55% | xxx |
| April 2014 | 44/50% | 41/52% | xxx | xxx |
| March 2014 | 41/54% | 46/50% | 43/53% | 43/50% |
| Feb 2014 | xxx | xxx | xxx | 41/51% |
| Jan 2014 | 43/51% | 45/52% | 45/51% | 46/47% (CBS) |
| Dec 2013 | 43/54% | 43/55% | 41/56% | 42/50% |
| Oct 2013 | 47/51% | 48/49% | 43/53% | 46/49% (CBS) |
| Sept 2013 | 45/50% | 47/47% | 45/52% | 46/46% |
| July 2013 | 45/50% | 49/44% | xxx | 48/45% (CBS) |
| Jan 2013 | 52/44% | 55/41% | 55/43% | 51/41% |
In its recent survey, ABC/WP asked whether folks approved of how Obama has handled several issues. In each case, substantial disapproval was reflected.
| Approve | Disapprove | |
| The economy | 42% | 54% |
| Situation involving Russia and Ukraine | 34% | 46% |
| Implementation of new healthcare law | 37% | 57% |
The NBC/WSJ survey found Obama’s rating on the economy identical to that above. However, by 53% to 38% those surveyed disapprove of Obama’s overall performance on foreign policy.
On a positive note, a majority of Americans (53%/46%) agree - that Obama has the “personality and leadership qualities a President should have.” [CNN/ORG 5/14]
I asked a number of people whom I think have a prudential view of the Federal government what word or phrase they would use to describe Obama. Here are their answers: disengaged; diffident; frustrated; checked out; not willing to deal; no relationships; overwhelmed by foreign affairs; free world is looking to him for leadership and not finding it; on Syria he lost his way and Putin stepped in.
