Presidential Job Approval

PRESIDENTIAL JOB APPROVAL Obama's 2012 re-election hopes hinge on his ability to lower unemployment and soothe Americans' worries over the state of the nation's finances. On his watch, Americans witnessed the first ever credit downgrade of U.S. government bonds in early August OBAMA'S JOB APPROVAL RATING Feb. 17, 2009 Aug. 2 Obama signs legislation to reduce fiscal deficit by $2.1 trillion over 10 years Obama signs $787 billion stimulus bill 69% May 16 U.S. debt ceiling is reached 70 Oct. 9, 2009 Obama wins Nobel 68% May 1 Obama announces that the U.S. Aug 5 U.S. loses top-tier AAA credit rating - from S&P 62% 60 Peace Prize 56% has killed bin Laden in Pakistan- 52% 50 ЧИМ Jan. 42% Jan. 20 Obama is sworn 40 - in as the 44th U.S. president J,F,M A,M, J,J, A, S 0,N,D J,F,M A,M, J,J,A,S,0,N,D,J,F,MA,M,JJ,A, S 0,N,D,J, F, 7-9 42% 41% 38% May to July Deficit-reduction talks A.s,0,.N.O 2009 2010 2011 '12 HOW OBAMA'S RATING COMPARES BILL CLINTON * Democrat GEORGE BARACK W. BUSH A Republican OBAMA * Democrat 100 100 JOB High point 90% Sept. 21-22, 2001 APPROVAL RATING 80 High point 73% -Dec 19-20, 1998 - 80 High point 69% Jan. 22-24, 2009 60 60 50 50 40 40 Low point 37% Dec. 19, 1998 Clinton is impeached Sept. 11, 2001 Attacks on the U.S. Low point** 38% Low point* 25% '01 ' '02 '03 '04 05 '06' 07 ' '08 - Term avg. 62% - Term avg. 37% June 5-6, 1993 20 20 1993 '94' 95 96 - Term avg. 50% - '98 99 '2000 - Term avg. 61%· '97 '09' '10 '11 L Term avg. - 50% 1993-2001 average 55% 2001-2009 average 49% 2008: Oct. 3-5, Oct.10-12, Oct. 31-Nov. 2 * 2011: Aug. 20-22, Aug. 25-27, Aug. 26-29, Oct. 4-6, Oct. 11-13, Oct. 5-17 Sources: Gallup, news reports Note: Each approval rating is based on a three-day rolling average REUTERS