Former President Bill Clinton broke new ground today, with a Gallup poll showing his favorability rating beating President Barack Obama's for the first time.
Clinton snagged a 61 percent favorability rating, compared with 52 percent for Obama, Gallup reported. Clinton also fared better than former President George W. Bush, who received 45 percent.
Although Democrats have similar views of Clinton and Obama, Gallup’s analysis indicated that independents and Republicans have more positive views of Clinton than they do of Obama.
Clinton's rating has increased nearly 10 percentage points since the 2008 presidential election campaign, Gallup’s analysis noted.
Also since 2008, Clinton's favorable rating among Democrats rose 10 percentage points, from 79 percent to 89 percent; 9 percentage points among independents, who now give him a 60 percent favorable nod; and 12 points among Republicans, with a 30 percent rating.
Even as former President Clinton’s star rises, Obama’s falls, with his 52 percent tying his worst showing since he entered the White House. His favorable rating first fell to 52 percent in March, Gallup’s numbers show, and it has languished in that range.
Also rising is Bush, whose 45 percent favorable rating is 10 points above March 2009, the most recent time Gallup has asked about him. That was his highest number since January 2007. When Bush was president, his favorability descended sharply in 2005 amid mounting public dissatisfaction with the Iraq war, Gallup says. It has remained well below 50 percent.
For Gallup’s full report on the favorability poll, including charts — Go Here Now.
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