Poll Shows Clinton is More Popular than Obama
(AP Photo/Marko Drobnjakovic)
The poll results show that her favorability ratings outrank his, 62 percent to 56 percent.
The poll, which surveyed 1,013 American adults, was conducted during the first week of October (which should be noted is before Mr. Obama was announced the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize).
When Mr. Obama took office in January, his favorable rating was 78 percent, one of the highest recorded by Gallup in its 17 years of conducting favorability polls. Since then, however, the president's favorable rating has dropped to 56 percent, while his unfavorable rating has risen from 18 to 40 percent. This is the highest unfavorable rating that has ever been recorded by Gallup for Mr. Obama.
Clinton, by contrast, has remained relatively stable in her favorability ratings in the Gallup poll -- perhaps due to her less scrutinized role as secretary of state. Clinton's rating, at 62 percent, has actually increased a little since January; and is only a few points above her highest rating of 67 percent, recorded in 1998 just after her husband's impeachment.
Democrats' opinions of Mr. Obama and Clinton have remained pretty consistent, and the decrease in Mr. Obama's popularity is likely attributable to views among Republicans and Independents. In January, 60 percent of Republicans had a positive view of Mr. Obama, a number which has since fallen to 19 percent. Republican views of Clinton have remained exactly the same at 35 percent. Similarly, the president's favorability has fallen 23 points among Independents, from 75 to 52 percent.
Among Democrats, both Mr. Obama and Clinton have very high favorability ratings that have not changed significantly since January.
