USA Today put together an interactive graphic on the past dozen President’s approval rating trend lines.
As you can see from the graphic, all of the past 12 Presidents have enjoyed at least an approval rating of 65%.
The graphic above illustrates the trends for the last four Presidents. As you can see, all four had approval ratings hovering around the same number in the early days of their Presidency, representing what most call the “honeymoon period.” Each of the previous three (George W, Clinton & George H.) experienced significant slides that led to either A) loss of seats for their respective party in midterm election cycles (George W and Clinton), or B) loss of their re-election for a 2nd term as President (George H). While it is still early to gauge what Obama’s approval rating will be next November, the downward trend in his recent approval rating has led to recent success in the recruitment efforts of the respective GOP campaign committees. If President Obama’s approval numbers continue to slide, Republicans will have quality candidates that will provide voters will a clear alternative to the current administration’s policies.
