Relatively speaking, U.S. presidents are highly regarded when they enter office. The post-World War II commanders-in-chief — starting with Dwight Eisenhower in 1953 — had an average approval rating of 61.9 percent when they were sworn in.
Sadly, the honeymoon period doesn't usually last. The final approval ratings were, on average, 50.3 percent. Ouch.
The six most recent presidents — beginning with Ronald Reagan — had an average approval rating of 55.0 percent when they entered office. The six before that started more than 13 percent better, averaging 68.8 percent.
Are lower initial approval ratings the new normal?
Initial and Final Approval Ratings for U.S. Presidents
Fun Facts
Obama and Eisenhower both entered office with a 68 percent approval rating and left office with a 59 percent approval rating.
Only three presidents from this group — Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Clinton — finished with an improved approval rating. They also accounted for three of the five lowest initial approval ratings.
George H.W. Bush was the only president to lose a re-election bid and finish with a higher approval rating.
Obama's initial approval rating in 2009 was the highest for any president since 1974.
Sources and Notes
Gallup polls were used for all approval rating statistics — visit this page to view full approval rating graphs for each president individually
The popular vote percent corresponds to the first election each president won (the goal is to show the progression from the election to the start of the presidency to the end of the final term). Ford's percentage is listed as '0' because he never won a presidential election.
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