Miss Me Yet? George W. Bush Now More Popular Than Obama

George W. Bush may not have been the most popular president during his time in office. But six and a half years later, it seems most Americans have had a change of heart about the former president, so much so that they apparently view him more favorably than the current occupant of the Oval Office.

When George W. Bush left office in 2009, only 33% of Americans viewed him favorably while 63% did not. The results were not surprising. During his time in office, Bush led the country to a destructive war in Iraq, the consequences of which are still rippling across the region. By the time he left office, the country was involved in two wars and facing a stock market crash that rapidly turned into a global crisis.

Meanwhile, incoming President Barack Obama enjoyed a whopping 76% approval, with only 23% of Americans saying they viewed him unfavorably.

According to the results of a new poll, however, it seems that Obama and Bush’s favorability ratings have switched with more Americans now favoring the former US president than the current one.

The poll, released on Wednesday, was conducted by CNN and ORC and was based on phone interviews with 1,025 adult Americans in late May.

The new results show that 52% of Americans hold a favorable view of Bush, making this the first time in over a decade that the majority of citizens view the former president in a positive light. Though, the rating does not depart much from those who have said they view him unfavorably, at 47%.

By contrast, President Obama’s favorability among Americans seems to have significantly dipped, now at 49% compared to the 76% he enjoyed at the beginning of his first term. Americans’ perceptions of the president also appear to be evenly split, with an equal 49% saying they view him unfavorably.

Breaking down the views by topic, the poll additionally asked respondents to comment on the president’s approach to a number of social and political issues. Perhaps not surprisingly, Obama received the highest disapproval rating for his handling of government surveillance, with 67% saying they disapproved and only 29% showing approval.

According to the survey results, the disapproval rating of Obama’s handling of government surveillance has seen a steady increase since June, 2013, (61%), presumably after NSA contractor Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the agency’s intrusive surveillance program.

Obama’s handling of the self-proclaimed Islamic State is also viewed unfavorably by a majority of Americans, with 63% say they disapprove, rising from 59% in 2014.

The president’s handling of race relations, on the other hand, earns the highest approval rating, although not by much. Fifty percent of respondents say they approve of Obama’s management of race relations, and 47% show disapproval.

All in all, Obama’s approval rating during his time in office appears to follow the same pattern of the former president’s, with his favorability dipping as he approaches the end of his final term.

The boost in Bush’s favorability is also not unique, as former presidents generally tend to gain approval after their time in office. Other presidents that have been viewed more favorably since leaving the Oval Office include George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, both at 64%.