As Donald Trump prepares to take the presidential oath on Jan. 20, less than half of Americans are confident in his ability to handle an international crisis (46%), to use military force wisely (47%) or to prevent major scandals in his administration (44%). At least seven in 10 Americans were […] Read more »
Trump’s Transition Approval Lower Than Predecessors’
Americans are evenly divided in their assessment of the way Donald Trump is handling his presidential transition, with 48% approving and 48% disapproving. By contrast, 65% or more approved of the way the past three presidents-elect were handling their transitions at similar points in time, including 75% for Barack Obama […] Read more »
Obama’s post-election glow doesn’t shine on Democrats
Barack Obama has gotten his last post-election bump as president, but perceptions of his party have moved in the opposite direction since Election Day, according to a new CNN/ORC poll. Obama’s approval rating in the poll stands at 57%, his highest since September 2009. That figure is on par with […] Read more »
Obama Averages 52.0% Job Approval in 31st Quarter
During his 31st quarter in office, President Barack Obama averaged 52.0% job approval, up one percentage point from the 30th quarter and the highest in his second term as president. … Of the six presidents who served 31 quarters in office, Obama is the fourth to have majority approval at […] Read more »
Trump Seen as Less Conservative Than Prior GOP Candidates
Donald Trump’s political views, in the eyes of U.S. registered voters, are the least conservative of GOP presidential candidates in recent history. About six in 10 registered voters have viewed recent Republican nominees as conservative or very conservative, with George W. Bush’s 68% in 2004 the highest. CONT. Justin McCarthy, […] Read more »
Popular Presidents Factor Little in Non-Incumbent Elections
The Ronald Reagan presidency offers the most recent historical clues as to whether President Barack Obama’s popularity could affect voters’ choices for president in November. Like Obama, Reagan was earning job approval ratings in the low to mid-50s in the second half of his eighth year. And the Republican nominee […] Read more »