Obama and the slip-sliding polls
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Nearly one year ago, George W. Bush concluded his presidency with an average public-approval rating of 49% in the Gallup Polls -- 34% percent in the final temperature taken of the outgoing administration.
President Obama entered office with 83% public approval for his handling of the transition between administrations, though the new Congress was sworn in with just 20% of Americans voicing approval of the way Congress was handling its job. Days after inauguration, 69% of Americans surveyed were voicing approval for Obama’s performance as president.
By March, public sentiment toward Congress was making a rebound: With public approval for the job that Congress was performing rising to 39%, a four-year high. These are among some of the signal findings of the Gallup Polls conducted during a tumultuous year that ends today.
-- Mark Silva