Whether it's the thriving economy, low gas prices, taking action on opening up relations with Cuba, granting amnesty to illegal aliens or just a happy holiday feeling among the American electorate, President Obama must be doing something right.
A new Gallup three-day average poll from Dec. 27-29 shows that Obama's popularity has risen to a dead even tie between those who approve of him and those who do not — each at 48 percent,
The Washington Post reports.
It's Obama's first foray out of negative approval ratings since September 2013,
Gallup notes, while cautioning: "Three-day job approval averages are quite fluid, and the president's ratings may tick down in the days ahead. Still, reaching 48 percent is at least a temporary milestone for Obama and is certainly much better news for the White House than if his rating had been trending in the opposite direction."
However, Obama is well above his
2014 average approval rating of 42 percent, although the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three points.
A recent
Rasmussen Reports poll found the same results — a gradual uptrend for Obama's popularity rating, ending with a dead heat, 49 percent each, for those who approve and those who disapprove of his job performance.
The increase is a dramatic improvement for Obama over the 57 percent of Americans who disapproved of him as recently as October,
The Wall Street Journal reports.
Even as recently as the beginning of December, the Journal notes, Obama's approval was lagging at 52 percent disapproving to just 41 percent approving.
"Some of this uptick is due to higher ratings among Hispanics who reacted favorably to Obama's actions on immigration announced in November," Gallup noted. "Some of it may reflect his recent announcement concerning the restoration of relations with Cuba. Some may reflect Americans' increasingly positive views of the economy and jobs picture.
"And some may be a Christmas bump, reflecting Americans' more charitable attitudes in and around the Christmas season."
The Journal observed, "A likely factor in Mr. Obama’s rising approval numbers is the strengthening economy, which appears at last to be gaining steam after a long, tepid recovery."
Since the Democrats' drubbing in the midterm elections, Obama aggressively has been taking unilateral actions on Cuba, a climate deal with China and immigration.
"Those moves — all made without Congress — have stoked Republicans’ ire, but the new, proactive Mr. Obama is likely a welcome change for members of his own party," the Journal commented.
An increase of 12 percent in Obama's approval among Hispanics due to his announcement of suspended deportations and granting of work permits for up to five million illegal immigrants likely contributed to the increase in Obama's rating,
The Hill notes, adding, "the economy has been showing signs of strength, including the news last week that the economy grew at five percent, its highest level in 11 years, from July to September."