Biden Becomes 2nd President With Inaugural Approval Under 50%

The approval rating of Democratic President Joe Biden a few weeks in office came below 50% — just slightly higher than former President Donald Trump ’s inaugural rating — which pollsters said then was the first for an elected president to have an initial “sub-50% approval rating.”

According to a national poll conducted by Quinnipiac University survey, Biden got a 49% approval rating in a survey conducted between Jan. 28–Feb.1 while 36% said they disapprove of his performance with 16% yet to form an opinion about the work of the new president.

Former President Trump that time got a split approval rating of 45% approving of the way he is handling his new job back then and another 45% disapproving —  with 10% saying they were unsure. 

“President Biden receives a positive job approval rating with Americans approving 49 – 36 percent of the way he’s handling his job. Sixteen percent didn’t offer an opinion,” Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy said.

“The Biden numbers are solid but not spectacular as the country tries to coalesce around a new administration that faces the dual challenge of daunting economic struggles and comforting a COVID-weary public,” he added.

The Democratic President also lags behind the three other presidents who preceded former President Trump.

Former presidents Barack Obama had an approval rating of 67% in January 2009, George W. Bush had 57% in his first few weeks in office, while 58% of Americans approved of Bill Clinton’s job at the start of his tenure in January 1993.

The new Quinnipiac University survey conducted among 1,075 adults — with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points — also found 90% of Democrats and 62% of independents saying they are optimistic about the Biden administration, while 65% of Republicans are pessimistic.

69% ‘dissatisfied’ with developments in the country

“Despite an overall majority being optimistic, 69% of Americans say they are either very dissatisfied (46%) or somewhat dissatisfied (23%) with the way things are going in the nation today,” the pollster noted.

Only 6% of Americans said they are “very satisfied” with the way things are going in the country under the new Democratic president, while 23% where “somewhat satisfied.”

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris got a 45% favorability rating with 35% seeing her as “unfavorable.”

In Congress, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer received a  37% approval rating with 42% disapproving of his job. Former Senate Majority Leader and now Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also got a low approval rating of 21% compared to 67% disapproving of him.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also had more Americans disapproving of her work at 47% compared to the 45% of those surveyed who approve of her job. 

Steeve Strange

Steeve is the CEO & Co-Founder of The Scoop.