Sign "O" the Times

George W. Bush polls better than Barack Obama:

It is the first time in more than a decade that Americans have expressed a favorable view of Bush, at least according to a new CNN/ORC poll released Wednesday.

Bush is seen in a favorable light by 52 percent of those surveyed, compared with 43 percent who still view the 43rd president unfavorably. Americans are split on Obama, with 49 percent responding favorably and unfavorably.

The last time Bush polled in positive territory was in early April 2005, close to three months into his second term.

Presidents always look better, or at least less bad, in retrospect. But Bush is still the media’s and the Democrats’ go-to whipping boy for All Things Bad About Republicans and/or White People — so it’s amazing that Bush’s numbers have come anywhere close to pre-Katrina levels.

In other words, there was nothing inevitable about Bush’s ascent, even after six years. So let’s revisit Obama’s numbers around this time in 2023 and see how he’s doing.