Obama approval hits new high
President Barack Obama's approval rating stands at 55% in a new CNN/ORC poll, the highest mark of his second term, and matching his best at any time since his first year in office.
The new rating outpaces his previous second-term high -- reached just after a Democratic convention that extolled the successes of his presidency -- by one point, and hits a level he's reached just twice since the end of his first year in office: In January 2013 just before his second inauguration and in January 2011.
The new poll continues a streak in which Obama's approval rating has been at 50% or higher in CNN/ORC polls since February, a seven month run that is his longest since 2009. And taken together, Obama's approval ratings in 2016 average 51% so far in CNN/ORC polls, his best mark since that first year in office.
He's up 12 points among Democrats to 89% approval and 14 among independents to 56% approval, but his numbers have barely budged among Republicans, 11% approved in September 2015 and 13% approve now.
There are partisan differences, however. He's up 12 points among Democrats to 89% approval and 14 among independents to 56% approval, but his numbers have barely budged among Republicans, 11% approved in September 2015 and 13% approve now.
And there's a racial gap as well, with improvement coming among whites and Hispanics, but ratings of Obama holding steady among blacks. Among whites, his approval rating remains in negative territory but has climbed from 32% a year ago to 47% now. Non-whites have held mostly steady -- 68% approved then and 70% do now.
Among black voters, 86% approve in the new poll, combining last year's data for both September and October, the number was identical among blacks a year ago. Among Hispanics, Obama's approval rating stands at 68%, up from 60% in the combined data from last fall.
And in a further measure of the education rift among whites that's been highlighted by this year's presidential race, 55% of whites with college degrees say they approve of Obama's work as president vs. just 44% of whites who do not have degrees.
Obama's approval rating is well above President George W. Bush's numbers at this point in his term in office, and about on par with Ronald Reagan's numbers at this time in 1988.
He is just a hair behind Bill Clinton's 58% measure in October 2000. Both Clinton and Reagan saw their numbers rise above 60% after their successor had been elected and the transition had begun.
[Update]
Obama approval hits 60% as end of term approaches
President Barack Obama will leave office Friday with his highest approval rating since 2009, his presidency largely viewed as a success, and a majority saying they will miss him when he is gone.
A new CNN/ORC poll finds Obama's approval rating stands at 60%, his best mark since June of his first year in office. Compared with other outgoing presidents, Obama lands near the top of the list, outranked only by Bill Clinton's 66% in January 2001 and Ronald Reagan's 64% in January 1989. About two-thirds (65%) say Obama's presidency was a success, including about half (49%) who say that was due to Obama's personal strengths rather than circumstances outside his control.
That assessment of Obama's presidency, as well as his approval ratings, are marked by sharp partisan divides. While 54% of Democrats consider Obama one of the greatest presidents, 54% of Republicans call him a poor president. Though he has earned near universal approval among Democrats (95% approve), just 18% of Republicans say they approve of how he handled the presidency. That gap explains the difference between Obama's approval rating and those of the two former presidents who left office with higher marks.
President Barack Obama's approval rating stands at 55% in a new CNN/ORC poll, the highest mark of his second term, and matching his best at any time since his first year in office.
The new rating outpaces his previous second-term high -- reached just after a Democratic convention that extolled the successes of his presidency -- by one point, and hits a level he's reached just twice since the end of his first year in office: In January 2013 just before his second inauguration and in January 2011.
The new poll continues a streak in which Obama's approval rating has been at 50% or higher in CNN/ORC polls since February, a seven month run that is his longest since 2009. And taken together, Obama's approval ratings in 2016 average 51% so far in CNN/ORC polls, his best mark since that first year in office.
He's up 12 points among Democrats to 89% approval and 14 among independents to 56% approval, but his numbers have barely budged among Republicans, 11% approved in September 2015 and 13% approve now.
There are partisan differences, however. He's up 12 points among Democrats to 89% approval and 14 among independents to 56% approval, but his numbers have barely budged among Republicans, 11% approved in September 2015 and 13% approve now.
And there's a racial gap as well, with improvement coming among whites and Hispanics, but ratings of Obama holding steady among blacks. Among whites, his approval rating remains in negative territory but has climbed from 32% a year ago to 47% now. Non-whites have held mostly steady -- 68% approved then and 70% do now.
Among black voters, 86% approve in the new poll, combining last year's data for both September and October, the number was identical among blacks a year ago. Among Hispanics, Obama's approval rating stands at 68%, up from 60% in the combined data from last fall.
And in a further measure of the education rift among whites that's been highlighted by this year's presidential race, 55% of whites with college degrees say they approve of Obama's work as president vs. just 44% of whites who do not have degrees.
Obama's approval rating is well above President George W. Bush's numbers at this point in his term in office, and about on par with Ronald Reagan's numbers at this time in 1988.
He is just a hair behind Bill Clinton's 58% measure in October 2000. Both Clinton and Reagan saw their numbers rise above 60% after their successor had been elected and the transition had begun.
[Update]
Obama approval hits 60% as end of term approaches
President Barack Obama will leave office Friday with his highest approval rating since 2009, his presidency largely viewed as a success, and a majority saying they will miss him when he is gone.
A new CNN/ORC poll finds Obama's approval rating stands at 60%, his best mark since June of his first year in office. Compared with other outgoing presidents, Obama lands near the top of the list, outranked only by Bill Clinton's 66% in January 2001 and Ronald Reagan's 64% in January 1989. About two-thirds (65%) say Obama's presidency was a success, including about half (49%) who say that was due to Obama's personal strengths rather than circumstances outside his control.
That assessment of Obama's presidency, as well as his approval ratings, are marked by sharp partisan divides. While 54% of Democrats consider Obama one of the greatest presidents, 54% of Republicans call him a poor president. Though he has earned near universal approval among Democrats (95% approve), just 18% of Republicans say they approve of how he handled the presidency. That gap explains the difference between Obama's approval rating and those of the two former presidents who left office with higher marks.
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