Barack Obama’s approval rating is now two points higher than what Ronald Reagan’s was in October, 1988.
That’s music to the ears of Hillary Clinton who knows that 1988 was the only year in our lifetime when a party was able to win three presidential elections in a row (George Bush became president after two Reagan terms.)
The new CNN/ORC poll finds Obama with 55 percent approval, the highest mark of his second term, and matching his best at any time since his first year in office. Reagan had 53 percent approval at this same point in his presidency, and Bill Clinton enjoyed a 58 percent approval rating in October, 2000.
In early October 2008, George W. Bush was at 25 percent approval and Republican nominee John McCain distanced himself from the Bush policies. That is in sharp contrast to Hillary Clinton who has mentioned her support of Obama throughout the year.
A year ago Obama’s approval was about 10 points lower, but the campaign pitting two of the most unpopular nominees in history, Clinton and Donald Trump, is probably helping Obama as many Americans become more nostalgic as his presidency nears an end.
There is, however, a big partisan divide. Among Democrats Obama’s approval is 89 percent, and 56 percent among independents, but his numbers with Republicans are an anemic 15 percent.
There is also a sharp racial divide. Among whites, Obama has 47 percent approval. Among Hispanics it is 68 percent, and among African Americans 86 percent.
Interestingly, among white Americans with college degrees, Obama’s approval is 55 percent. But among whites without a college degree — Donald Trump’s strength — it is only 44 percent.
Obama will complete his second term on January 20, 2017.