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Obama Approval: The Honeymoon

12:34 am EST January 25th, 2009 | News | 2 Comments

Obama and Superman President Obama has his first approval rating, 68% from Gallup. Now, this is mostly just a halo from his inauguration and first week of initiatives. It won’t consistently be that high (I think). Popular presidents like Reagan and Clinton left office with ratings in the mid-60s, while unpopular ones like Carter, Nixon and George W. Bush were in the 20s. My guess is that President Obama will average out somewhere from 55-60%, though I of course hope for the highest possible rating.

More importantly, this is part of the process of getting America back where it needs to be. The last couple years have shown us the malaise that sets in when the person in the highest office is almost universally loathed. Whether the president is Democratic or Republican, you can’t get things done that way.

It’s also a warning shot for congressional Republicans who want to derail the stimulus or hold up nominations for penny-ante reasons (this means you, John Cornyn): The President Will Steamroll You. This isn’t the president you fly in at night and ferry in and out of a fundraiser, trying your damndest to avoid being photographed with him.

We’re once again in an America where the people are firmly behind their president. To put it in as crass a way as possible: Move, bitch, get out the way.