Presidential Popularity

Check out this interactive chart from USA Today tracking the approval ratings of all post-WWII presidents. It turns out that Obama just isn't all that special [despite what his media people have insistently said] -- in fact he's pretty mediocre. The most interesting graph is Eisenhower's, which is remarkably stable throughout his two terms of office. He came into office as a known quantity and neither disappointed nor inspired extravagant hopes in the public. Interestingly, the highest approval ratings achieved were 90% and 89% by the two Bushes. Clinton was widely unpopular until the impeachment process was well underway at which time he became very popular, a testimony to his media machine's ability to demonize his antagonists.