Obama Approval Ratings Rise Tracks Increasing Consumer Confidence
Obama Approval Ratings Rise Tracks Increasing Consumer Confidence
WASHINGTON -- On Thursday, the Gallup Daily tracking poll marked a symbolic milestone. For the first time in more than a month and only the third time since last July, Gallup reported an approval rating for President Barack Obama (49 percent) that was slightly higher than his disapproval rating (46 percent).
On Friday, the Rasmussen Reports automated tracking survey marked a similar landmark. It showed Obama's approval rating at 50 percent or greater nationwide for the fifth consecutive day, a popularity not matched on the Rasmussen poll since January 2011.
The two daily tracking surveys are not alone. National telephone polls released in the past week by Fox News, ABC News and the Washington Post, Ipsos/Reuters, and the Democratic Party-affiliated Public Policy Polling (also sponsored by the website DailyKos and the Service Employees International Union) have all found increases in Obama's approval rating since October. Most of the increases range between 4 and 6 percentage points; the Ipsos/Reuters survey found a smaller rise.
The improvement since the fall has also been evident in state polls, including such likely battlegrounds in the general presidential election as Ohio, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Virginia.
Given the recent upward blip in the two national daily-tracking polls, some have looked for explanations in the events of the past week, particularly last Friday's Labor Department report of a rising employment rate. While positive economic news is the most likely reason for Obama's improving job rating, the upward trend in his ratings did not begin in February. In fact, most of the surveys have tracked a gradual increase in Obama's ratings that began in late October.
The HuffPost Pollster chart, based on all available public polls, shows a slow, steady rise of roughly five percentage points in the president's job approval rating since it hit its all-time low in early October.
The longer-term increase in Obama's approval rating parallels five months of increases in several survey-based indexes of consumer confidence. Specifically:
- Gallup reported that its index of consumer confidence has risen for five consecutive months to its highest point since May 2011. The pollster also reports that 22 percent of Americans now say they are satisfied with the way things are going, "higher than at any point since last spring."
- The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index rose to its highest level in a year this week.
- The Thompson Reuters University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment was up in December for the fifth straight month. A preliminary estimate for January, based on a smaller sample, is slightly down, but confidence remained higher than in previous months.
- The Rasmussen Consumer Index stands at its highest level in over a year, although it's down slightly from a peak earlier in the week.
- The Consumer Confidence Index of the Conference Board showed a slight decline in January, but its December and January measurements were still significantly higher than those of the three previous months.
Of course, the overall economic mood remains gloomy. On the Gallup surveys, for example, far more Americans still say that economic conditions nationwide are getting worse (58 percent) than say they're getting better (36 percent) -- though the positive number has more than doubled, from 18 percent, since the fall.
And despite big increases since October, the president continues to receive net negative ratings on "the economy" (44 percent approve, 53 percent disapprove) and "creating jobs" (44 percent approve, 51 percent disapprove) in the most recent ABC News/Washington Post survey.
The main point, however, is that the rising tide of consumer optimism directly parallels the upward trend in Obama's overall job approval rating. That result underscores the promise and the peril for the Obama administration in 2012. Continuing economic recovery will likely further boost his approval ratings and his chances in the November election. Yet we have seen temporary increases in consumer confidence before -- most memorably in January 2010 -- that quickly ebbed in the face of later negative economic news.
Either way, the economic trends of the next six to eight months are likely the most important factor in determining whether Barack Obama wins a second term in November.
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Quoting T-HoneyLuv:
I have NEVER doubted President Barack Obama and will be very happy when he wins again in November. I have complete and total faith in his abilities and will proudly cart my vote for him once again. :)
Me too...
They have nothing to offer...AT ALL...
OBAMA 2012
Quoting T-HoneyLuv:
I have NEVER doubted President Barack Obama and will be very happy when he wins again in November. I have complete and total faith in his abilities and will proudly cart my vote for him once again. :)
Click the HOT guy for access to Silver's Exclusive Birthday
Now THIS is the TRUTH~ LMAO
Quoting JakeandEmmasMom:
What do you mean nothing to offer? Comedy gold is hardly nothing! LOL!
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Yay,good news!
That is a really nice photo of the Prez too! I think he and Michele are very attractive,
Maybe the Repubs/conservies would like him better ,though , if he grew his hair and wore it in a Mullet? That would be a start. LOL.
No, I can't even stand to think about such a horrible thing.....he is just fine the way he is.
Seriously though ---the economy IS on an upward move. Unemployment is way down here.
Good news!
Way to go President Obama.He's got my vote again!
Quoting T-HoneyLuv:
I have NEVER doubted President Barack Obama and will be very happy when he wins again in November. I have complete and total faith in his abilities and will proudly cart my vote for him once again. :)
agree 100%, I am not happy with everything but I know that I will vote for him again. minus a few good laughs the republicans are a cult, full of extremist.
Want to thank all of you, for your Powerfull stand against Oboma & His Corrupted political partners.
But there is so much more we can do. Being aggressive and focusing on the facts and truth is only the 
first step.
We musT follow Up with more details standing by our convictions and dont back down.
Oboma has NOT brought CHANGE, In fact ~! ~ THE ONLY real THING needing CHANGE !....Was Barack Hussein Obama II.
HIMSELF
Barack Hussein Obama II (
Who hates American Values ) who is A " SELF PROCLAIMED Enemy" ~of responsible, Morally Conscious HARD WORKING Americans.
oBOMAS Irresponsible & DRUG MAFIA and reckless supporters KNOW~ that Barack Hussein Obama II, WILL FORCE YOU to paY THEM, out of your PockeT .{ FOR all of their UNCHECKED Vices and THRILLS/
{ All on YOU
| / At your COST & Sacrifice.\
...This UN~CHANGABLE fraud, has done His VERY BEST to Inspire VIOLENCE.
THESE ARE OBAMAS OWN WORDS.. saying ......To his supporters.Saying “Get ready for hand-to-hand combat with your Fellow Americans” – Obama has ALSO DECLARED to his Supporters. “I want all Americans to get in each others faces!– Obama Demands !
“You bring a knife to a fight pal, we’ll bring a gun” –
THESE ARE OBAMAS OWN WORDS.. ANGER VIOLENCE And more taxes..... THIS IS OBAMAS Change for america /“Hit Back Twice As Hard”. He commands ! *Obama on the private sector: ~~ “We talk To these folks…~ / so I know whose a*$ to KICK.“ OBOMA wants to KICK your a*$ /```
Shouting THAT Republican victory would mean ~ “hand to hand combat” and HE IS EXPECTING people to be on Edge and ON BORDERLINE killing MODE, `` VIOLENT / and STAND and STOMP and MOB for their immoral CAUSES and THIS IS WHAT HE LIVES FOR ./ ./ ./ THESE ARE OBAMAS OWN WORDS.. !* Obama Tells democrats: “ I’m itching for a fight.” !
....PLEASE.... go to reXes NEW WebsiTe ~ ! Oboma *( Just like Adolf Hitler~~\oBOMA~~~ Demands ! -- [ THE FINAL SOLUTION - for Un~Wanted Children
Barak Obama is A MURDERER .~Torturing UNWANTED babys on DEATH ROE.
CLICK HERE http://obomlnation.webstarts.com/index.html
OBAMA TAKES a little NEW BORN innocent child, BORN ALIVE sTabS it iN the head and SUCKs ITS BRAINS OUT.
This is just too wrong and horrible. Please stand for Loving Children and the USA.
Respectfully and Thankfully Thank you ALL for your Time.
To see HORRIBLE HONOR Killings~` HATE CRIMES ]`~ ! eXecuted by the CLINTON,RENO and ATF Media WHO COMMITTED H0NOR KILLINGs [
SLAUGHTERING }] 21 LITTLE Helpless Children at Waco.
Click Here http://obomlnation.webstarts.com/partly_born_totally_murdered.html
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- sweet-a-kins
on Feb. 11, 2012 at 10:55 AM