[ohioWfan]

And as promised...........a reformatted chart created by DrDeb that should make ALL of us smile. :) It's from The Roper Center (Gallup Poll Results), and chronicles the Job Approval ratings of Presidents Reagan, Clinton and George W. Bush.......

George W. Bush....... Bill Clinton....... Ronald Reagan

.... 2001 - 66%............. 1993 - 49%............... 1981 - 58%

.... 2002 - 72%............. 1994 - 47%............... 1982 - 44%

.... 2003 - 61%..............1995 - 48% .............. 1983 - 44%

.... 2004 - 51%..............1996 - 54%................1984 - 55%

.... 2005 -[48%].............1997 - 58%................1985 - 60%

..5 yr ave - 60%..................51%.........................52%

.... 2006 - ..................... 1998 - 64%............... 1986 - 61%

.... 2007 - ..................... 1999 - 61%............... 1987 - 48%

.... 2008 - ..................... 2000 - 60%............... 1988 - 52%

..8 yr ave - ..........................55%.........................53%

JA below 50 - 0 yrs................3 yrs........................3 yrs.

Lowest JA... - 39%...............37%.......................35% yrs

JA over 60 ,,,- 3 yrs................3 yrs........................2 yrs.

Highest JA... - 90%................73%.......................65% yrs

[luvie]

That is most interesting! GWB wins in every catagory and can do even better by the time his 8 years are over! WOOHOO!

[Siena Dreaming]

I find it hard to believe that Clinton had 60% approval his last years.

Not doubting you...just hard to swallow that the guy could be such a sheister.

[McLynnan]

Hi, Ohio! I know I'm a total stranger these days. Love Dr Deb's analysis. Hope you and family are well. Take care.

[hsalaw]

Thanks for the great chart. Fox News had something similar, but much less detailed, this morning, about how all presidents have slumps - examples: Nixon's approval during Watergate - 24%; LBJ's approval during Vietnam - 32%; Carter's approval (I think during all four years) - 28%; Reagan's approval during Iran-Contra - 31%; and so on. Nina Eason (I think - of the Boston Glove) compared Pres. Bush to Lincoln, who was highly criticized during the Civil War but is now regarded as one of our greatest presidents. Your chart has lots more detail. Thanks again.

[snugs]

Thanks for reformating the table and thanks Dr Deb for putting it together in the first place

[DrDeb]

Thank you for posting the Presidential JA Table at #13!
[NOTE: If anyone wants a copy of the original table -- which is abit easier to read -- just freepmail to me your regular e-mail address.]


ANALYSIS:

I developed this JA table to establish the ACTUAL vs fantasy benchmarks against which we should evaluate the President's job approval ratings. Afterall, if you listen to the MSM long enough, you'd be convinced that the President has the lowest JA ratings ever recorded -- NOT!

Let's review the FACTS:

--According to Gallup, the President garnered his lowest JA rating ever last week at 39% (it's already back to 42%). Clinton's lowest: 37%; Reagan's lowest: 35%! [Bush41, Carter, Ford, LBJ, Truman posted even lower JA ratings!]

--According to Gallup, the President earned the HIGHEST JA rating ever recorded, ''90%'' in 2001. Clinton's highest: 73%; Reagan's highest: 65%.

The President also maintained JA ratings in the 70s and 80s longer than any other president in history!!! [Bottomline: GWB knows what it means to be 'popular', yet he sacrificed it all in an effort to do the RIGHT thing relative to our War on Terrorism -- something most presidents (e.g., Clinton) would never dream of doing!]

--According to Gallup, the President's JA rating has yet to fall below 50% for an entire year (although it will probably do so this year). In contrast, both Clinton and Reagan posted THREE years below 50%.

In fact, Reagan's JA average for 2 of his 3 years below 50% was a meager ''44%''!

Given what the Democrats/MSM/uber-conservatives are saying about the President now, can you imagine what the same cabal was saying about Reagan in late 1981, 1982, 1983, and into 1984? [Keep in mind that as late as April/May of 1984, Reagan trailed Gary Hart in head:head polls; fortunately, Hart self-destructed!]

--According to Gallup, the President's average JA rating for his first (almost) 5 years in office is ''60%'' vs 51% for Clinton and 52% for Reagan -- have you heard this any where?!

--According to Gallup/pundits, Presidents always earn their lowest JA ratings when the public's evaluation of either the economy or a war turns negative. While most presidents only have to deal with one of these 'negatives', President Bush has had to deal with BOTH!

[NOTE: The last 3 presidents to experience a 'double' negative: Lincoln, Truman, and LBJ. The latter 2 presidents possessed JA ratings so low that they were unable to run for re-election!]

Despite the double negative, GWB's average JA ratings on both an annual and a 5-year basis are historically high and his lowest individual JA ratings are still higher that the record lows experienced by previous presidents! WHY?

The President continues to garner unprecedented support from his Republican base!!


AND NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY!!

[pollyannaish]

I LOVE this graph. Thank you.

Thanks for the wonderful dose tonight as well. (And happy anniversary to the President and first Lady.)

I hope all is well with you two.

[DollyCali]

great chart - thank you

[dimmer-rats stealvotes]

Polls became popular during the worst adminstration in history, that of Bill and Hillary Clinton. Personally, I disbelieve polls because you don't know how questions are phrased or to whom they are addressed or how they are manipulated. Moreover, the media distorts the distortion. I'm sick of them. I trust that most Americans can recognize true patriotism and decency when they see it. Pres. Bush and Laura, VP Cheney and Lynne are among the best people of this generation. God had mercy on us and saved us from Gore and Kerry. The MSM are enemies of their own country and are trying to destroy it with every breath. It is astounding that this administration has to deal with an important war for democracy in Iraq while suffering the salvos of the liberal press and democrats. If only we, the people, knew that we are in the vast majority, while having our strings pulled by a few powerful people who somehow do not love freedom. If we knew the power of our numbers, we could put them out of business in a hurry. But we think that the number of liberals and conservatives are even. The MSM keep us thinking this way. I don't know how to break the juggernaut.