As President Barack Obama completes his first 100 days in office on Wednesday, April 29, Americans have given his better half, First Lady Michelle Obama a higher rating approval for her role, according to a USA Today Gallup Poll.
On Monday, and Tuesday, a survey conducted of 1,051 adults, resulted in 79% approval rate of the way Mrs. Obama has been handling the job of first lady while only 8% disapproved.
Suprisingly, that’s higher than President Obama’s approval rating, which was 64% approval and a 28% disapproval with a partisan divide–with more Democrats supporting him than Republicans while Michelle appeal transcends party lines. Even among Republicans her approval ratiing is 64%-17%. However Obama’s adviser, David Axelrod, responded lightheartedly in an interview, “Fortunately, she’s agreed not to run against us.”
Still the first lady’s score doesn’t surpass that of previous president wives such as Laura Bush who garnered an 85% approval rate in January 2005, when her husband was sworn in for a second term or Hilary Rodham Clinton who received an approval rating of 80% in February 1999.
Other former first ladies’ top scores of include: Nancy Reagan, 58% in April 1987; Rosalynn Carter, 59% in August 1979; Pat Nixon, 54% in June 1969; and Eleanor Roosevelt, 68% in February 1940.–KNB