GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- President George W. Bush's approval ratings have been remarkably stable since early July, with between 55% and 57% of the American public approving of the way he is handling his job as president in six separate measures. Bush's approval rating is 55% in Gallup's most recent survey, conducted August 24-26. The average rating across all presidents since Gallup began measuring job approval in April 1945 has been 55%, so Bush's rating is neither high nor low from a historical perspective.
Since World War II, seven other presidents have been elected to their first terms. How is Bush doing compared to these predecessors at roughly the same time -- August of their first year in office? Bush's current rating is below that of five other presidents (including his father) at similar points in their first terms, just slightly higher than Ronald Reagan's, and much higher than Bill Clinton's.
Since 1953, Gallup has measured eight first-term presidents at this stage in their presidencies. Among the eight, Bush's current approval rating ranks sixth. John F. Kennedy has the highest approval rating at 76% in August 1961. Coming in a close second behind Kennedy is Dwight D. Eisenhower, with a 74% approval rating in August 1953. George H.W. Bush ranks third with 69% in August 1989, followed by Jimmy Carter with 66% in 1977 and Richard Nixon with 62% in 1969.
At the other end of the scale, Bill Clinton ranks the lowest with a 44% approval rating in August 1993. Ronald Reagan ranks somewhat higher with a 52% approval rating in August 1981, and George W. Bush comes in slightly higher than that, with his current 55% approval rating.
| Presidential Approval Ratings In August of First Term in Presidency |
 |
Survey Methods
These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 814 adults, 18 years and older, conducted August 24-26, 2001. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 4 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
|
Approve |
Disapprove |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
2001 Aug 24-26 |
55 |
36 |
9 |
|
2001 Aug 16-19 |
57 |
34 |
9 |
|
2001 Aug 10-12 |
57 |
35 |
8 |
|
2001 Aug 3-5 |
55 |
35 |
10 |
|
2001 Jul 19-22 |
56 |
33 |
11 |
|
2001 Jul 10-11 |
57 |
35 |
8 |
|
2001 Jun 28-Jul 1 |
52 |
34 |
14 |
|
2001 Jun 11-17 |
55 |
33 |
12 |
|
2001 Jun 8-10 |
55 |
35 |
10 |
|
2001 May 18-20 |
56 |
36 |
8 |
|
2001 May 10-14 |
56 |
31 |
13 |
|
2001 May 7-9 |
53 |
33 |
14 |
|
2001 Apr 20-22 |
62 |
29 |
9 |
|
2001 Apr 6-8 |
59 |
30 |
11 |
|
2001 Mar 26-28 |
53 |
29 |
18 |
|
2001 Mar 9-11 |
58 |
29 |
13 |
|
2001 Mar 5-7 |
63 |
22 |
15 |
|
2001 Feb 19-21 |
62 |
21 |
17 |
|
2001 Feb 9-11 |
57 |
25 |
18 |
|
2001 Feb 1-4 |
57 |
25 |
18 |
HISTORICAL PRESIDENTIAL APPROVAL TREND
|
President |
Date |
Approve |
Disapprove |
|
% |
% |
||
|
Kennedy |
1961 Aug 24-29 |
76 |
12 |
|
Eisenhower |
1953 Aug 15-20 |
74 |
14 |
|
Bush, G.H.W. |
1989 Aug 10-13 |
69 |
19 |
|
Carter |
1977 Aug 19-22 |
66 |
16 |
|
Nixon |
1969 Aug 14-19 |
62 |
20 |
|
Bush, G.W. |
2001 Aug 24-26 |
55 |
36 |
|
Reagan |
1981 Aug 18-21 |
52 |
37 |
|
Clinton |
1993 Aug 23-25 |
44 |
47 |
