OPINION:
Love them or leave them, presidential approval ratings have formed part of our political fabric since the 1930s, when the first Gallup Poll was conducted.
Fifteen chief executives later, the Gallup ratings have their own considerable history. What’s being said about our leaders, the public and our first Republican split-term commander in chief? It’s all there for the analyzing.
The data is incomplete for President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945), but every president since has logged his lowest disapproval numbers in the first months in office. That’s fair; people are striking a wait-and-see stance with a new official. Beginning with Donald Trump and President Biden, however, these figures have soared, with Mr. Trump getting a 45% approval rating early on and Mr. Biden getting 37%. Credit that unprecedented prejudging mode to left-wing media.
Gallup approvals have ranged from George W. Bush’s 90% after 9/11 to President Harry Truman’s 22% amid the Korean War. Looking past extremes, though, it is routine for a president’s ratings to edge down during his tenure. Excluding Roosevelt again for incomplete data, only Bill Clinton succeeded in leaving an upward-sloping trend line. During their first terms, Mr. Trump’s and Ronald Reagan’s lines were about level.
Starting with George H.W. Bush, the percentage of “no opinion” poll respondents has dwindled to near zero. Looking for indications of increased polarization in America? This is it. Thank liberal media once more for fanning the flames of negativity. Although mainstream media outlets have reveled in observing that Mr. Trump is the first president failing to register even one approval of 50%, they overlook the past four presidents, all of whom have averaged below half for their terms, from George W. Bush through Mr. Biden. Dissatisfaction seems to be the new normal.
Discounting media bias effects, Mr. Trump might be the best of the four. Can he buck history and unrelenting media malice and improve his numbers upon his return? Perception and performance resume shortly.
TOM GREGG
Niles, Illinois
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