Rise and fall of Bush's popularity

George W Bush in 2001 and 2008

Every US president's popularity among the American public is measured by approval ratings; opinion polls conducted weekly or monthly by a host of polling companies.

See below how George W Bush has fared in the eight years since he was first sworn in as president, in relation to key events that occurred during his presidency.

Although his popularity reached about 90% during 2001, his rating at the end of 2008 makes him one of the most unpopular presidents since polling began in the late 1930s.

To view the interactive bush Approval Rating chart you must have Javascript enabled and the Flash plugin installed. Click here to download the Flash plugin from the Adobe website

To enable Javascript on your browser we recommend that you contact your computer support line. Chart showing George Bush approval data from 2001 to the end of 2008

Date	Approval	Source
25/01/2001	46%	Fox
04/02/2001	57%	Gallup
08/02/2001	55%	Fox
11/02/2001	57%	Gallup
12/02/2001	53%	CBS
21/02/2001	62%	Gallup
22/02/2001	61%	Fox
07/03/2001	63%	Gallup
11/03/2001	58%	Gallup
12/03/2001	60%	CBS
15/03/2001	56%	Fox
28/03/2001	53%	Gallup
29/03/2001	57%	Fox
05/04/2001	53%	CBS
08/04/2001	59%	Gallup
19/04/2001	63%	Fox
22/04/2001	62%	Gallup
25/04/2001	56%	CBS
09/05/2001	53%	Gallup
10/05/2001	59%	Fox
12/05/2001	57%	CBS
14/05/2001	56%	Gallup
20/05/2001	56%	Gallup
07/06/2001	59%	Fox
10/06/2001	55%	Gallup
17/06/2001	55%	Gallup
18/06/2001	53%	CBS
01/07/2001	52%	Gallup
11/07/2001	57%	Gallup
12/07/2001	56%	Fox
22/07/2001	56%	Gallup
26/07/2001	59%	Fox
05/08/2001	55%	Gallup
12/08/2001	57%	Gallup
19/08/2001	57%	Gallup
23/08/2001	55%	Fox
26/08/2001	55%	Gallup
31/08/2001	50%	CBS
10/09/2001	51%	Gallup
12/09/2001	72%	CBS
14/09/2001	84%	CBS
15/09/2001	86%	Gallup
20/09/2001	81%	Fox
22/09/2001	90%	Gallup
23/09/2001	89%	CBS
04/10/2001	80%	Fox
06/10/2001	87%	Gallup
08/10/2001	90%	CBS
09/10/2001	90%	CBS
14/10/2001	89%	Gallup
18/10/2001	84%	Fox
21/10/2001	88%	Gallup
28/10/2001	87%	CBS
01/11/2001	84%	Fox
04/11/2001	87%	Gallup
11/11/2001	87%	Gallup
14/11/2001	85%	CBS
15/11/2001	88%	Fox
27/11/2001	87%	Gallup
29/11/2001	86%	Fox
09/12/2001	86%	Gallup
10/12/2001	86%	CBS
13/12/2001	86%	Fox
16/12/2001	86%	Gallup
06/01/2002	84%	CBS
09/01/2002	84%	Gallup
10/01/2002	83%	Fox
14/01/2002	83%	Gallup
24/01/2002	82%	CBS
27/01/2002	84%	Gallup
31/01/2002	81%	Fox
06/02/2002	82%	Gallup
10/02/2002	82%	Gallup
13/02/2002	81%	Fox
26/02/2002	78%	CBS
27/02/2002	77%	Fox
03/03/2002	81%	Gallup
07/03/2002	77%	Gallup
09/03/2002	80%	Gallup
13/03/2002	80%	Fox
24/03/2002	79%	Gallup
02/04/2002	77%	CBS
03/04/2002	79%	Fox
07/04/2002	76%	Gallup
11/04/2002	75%	Gallup
17/04/2002	76%	Fox
18/04/2002	76%	CBS
24/04/2002	77%	Gallup
01/05/2002	72%	Fox
01/05/2002	73%	CBS
01/05/2002	77%	Gallup
09/05/2002	76%	Gallup
14/05/2002	77%	CBS
15/05/2002	77%	Fox
20/05/2002	71%	CBS
22/05/2002	76%	Gallup
29/05/2002	77%	Gallup
05/06/2002	74%	Fox
06/06/2002	70%	Gallup
08/06/2002	74%	Gallup
19/06/2002	73%	Fox
19/06/2002	74%	Gallup
20/06/2002	70%	CBS
23/06/2002	73%	Gallup
30/06/2002	76%	Gallup
09/07/2002	74%	CBS
10/07/2002	70%	Fox
11/07/2002	73%	Gallup
16/07/2002	70%	CBS
23/07/2002	65%	CBS
24/07/2002	69%	Fox
24/07/2002	69%	Gallup
28/07/2002	69%	Gallup
31/07/2002	71%	Gallup
07/08/2002	69%	Fox
07/08/2002	66%	CBS
08/08/2002	68%	Gallup
21/08/2002	65%	Gallup
04/09/2002	66%	Gallup
05/09/2002	63%	CBS
08/09/2002	66%	Gallup
09/09/2002	66%	Fox
16/09/2002	70%	Gallup
22/09/2002	66%	Gallup
23/09/2002	66%	CBS
25/09/2002	65%	Fox
26/09/2002	68%	Gallup
05/10/2002	63%	CBS
06/10/2002	67%	Gallup
09/10/2002	66%	Fox
17/10/2002	62%	Gallup
22/10/2002	67%	Gallup
23/10/2002	60%	Fox
31/10/2002	62%	CBS
03/11/2002	63%	Gallup
04/11/2002	61%	CBS
10/11/2002	68%	Gallup
14/11/2002	66%	Gallup
20/11/2002	68%	Fox
24/11/2002	65%	CBS
24/11/2002	65%	Gallup
04/12/2002	65%	Fox
08/12/2002	64%	Gallup
10/12/2002	63%	Gallup
17/12/2002	63%	Gallup
18/12/2002	65%	Fox
22/12/2002	61%	Gallup
05/01/2003	63%	Gallup
06/01/2003	64%	CBS
12/01/2003	58%	Gallup
15/01/2003	63%	Fox
16/01/2003	61%	Gallup
22/01/2003	59%	CBS
22/01/2003	58%	Gallup
25/01/2003	60%	Gallup
30/01/2003	59%	Fox
02/02/2003	61%	Gallup
06/02/2003	63%	CBS
06/02/2003	59%	Gallup
09/02/2003	61%	Gallup
12/02/2003	57%	Fox
12/02/2003	54%	CBS
19/02/2003	58%	Gallup
25/02/2003	56%	CBS
26/02/2003	55%	Fox
26/02/2003	57%	Gallup
05/03/2003	58%	CBS
05/03/2003	57%	Gallup
09/03/2003	56%	CBS
12/03/2003	60%	Fox
15/03/2003	58%	Gallup
16/03/2003	58%	CBS
21/03/2003	67%	CBS
22/03/2003	68%	CBS
23/03/2003	71%	CBS
23/03/2003	71%	Gallup
24/03/2003	70%	CBS
25/03/2003	69%	Gallup
26/03/2003	66%	Fox
27/03/2003	68%	CBS
30/03/2003	71%	Gallup
03/04/2003	67%	CBS
06/04/2003	70%	Gallup
09/04/2003	71%	Fox
09/04/2003	69%	Gallup
13/04/2003	73%	CBS
16/04/2003	71%	Gallup
23/04/2003	65%	Fox
23/04/2003	70%	Gallup
27/04/2003	67%	CBS
07/05/2003	65%	Fox
07/05/2003	69%	Gallup
12/05/2003	67%	CBS
21/05/2003	64%	Fox
21/05/2003	66%	Gallup
28/05/2003	64%	CBS
01/06/2003	64%	Gallup
04/06/2003	66%	Fox
10/06/2003	62%	Gallup
13/06/2003	66%	CBS
15/06/2003	63%	Gallup
18/06/2003	65%	Fox
29/06/2003	61%	Gallup
01/07/2003	60%	Fox
09/07/2003	60%	CBS
09/07/2003	62%	Gallup
16/07/2003	59%	Fox
20/07/2003	59%	Gallup
27/07/2003	58%	Gallup
30/07/2003	59%	Fox
06/08/2003	60%	Gallup
12/08/2003	55%	CBS
13/08/2003	57%	Fox
26/08/2003	59%	Gallup
28/08/2003	55%	CBS
10/09/2003	58%	Fox
10/09/2003	52%	Gallup
16/09/2003	52%	CBS
21/09/2003	50%	Gallup
24/09/2003	50%	Fox
01/10/2003	51%	CBS
08/10/2003	55%	Gallup
12/10/2003	56%	Gallup
15/10/2003	52%	Fox
21/10/2003	54%	CBS
26/10/2003	53%	Gallup
29/10/2003	53%	Fox
05/11/2003	54%	Gallup
12/11/2003	51%	Gallup
13/11/2003	49%	CBS
16/11/2003	50%	Gallup
19/11/2003	52%	Fox
04/12/2003	52%	Fox
07/12/2003	55%	Gallup
13/12/2003	52%	CBS
14/12/2003	56%	Gallup
15/12/2003	58%	CBS
16/12/2003	63%	Gallup
22/12/2003	60%	CBS
05/01/2004	60%	Gallup
08/01/2004	58%	Fox
11/01/2004	59%	Gallup
15/01/2004	50%	CBS
15/01/2004	53%	Gallup
22/01/2004	53%	Fox
01/02/2004	49%	Gallup
05/02/2004	53%	Fox
08/02/2004	52%	Gallup
12/02/2004	51%	Gallup
15/02/2004	50%	CBS
17/02/2004	51%	Gallup
19/02/2004	48%	Fox
27/02/2004	47%	CBS
04/03/2004	48%	Fox
07/03/2004	49%	Gallup
11/03/2004	50%	Gallup
14/03/2004	51%	CBS
24/03/2004	47%	Fox
28/03/2004	53%	Gallup
01/04/2004	49%	CBS
07/04/2004	49%	Fox
08/04/2004	52%	Gallup
18/04/2004	52%	Gallup
22/04/2004	50%	Fox
27/04/2004	46%	CBS
04/05/2004	49%	Gallup
05/05/2004	49%	Fox
09/05/2004	46%	Gallup
11/05/2004	44%	CBS
19/05/2004	48%	Fox
23/05/2004	41%	CBS
23/05/2004	47%	Gallup
06/06/2004	49%	Gallup
09/06/2004	48%	Fox
23/06/2004	49%	Fox
23/06/2004	48%	Gallup
27/06/2004	42%	CBS
11/07/2004	47%	Gallup
15/07/2004	45%	CBS
21/07/2004	47%	Fox
21/07/2004	49%	Gallup
31/07/2004	47%	Gallup
01/08/2004	44%	CBS
01/08/2004	48%	Gallup
04/08/2004	44%	Fox
11/08/2004	51%	Gallup
18/08/2004	46%	CBS
25/08/2004	51%	Fox
25/08/2004	49%	Gallup
05/09/2004	52%	Gallup
08/09/2004	49%	Fox
08/09/2004	50%	CBS
15/09/2004	52%	Gallup
16/09/2004	50%	CBS
22/09/2004	50%	Fox
22/09/2004	48%	CBS
26/09/2004	54%	Gallup
03/10/2004	47%	CBS
03/10/2004	50%	Gallup
04/10/2004	53%	Fox
10/10/2004	47%	Gallup
11/10/2004	43%	CBS
14/10/2004	48%	Gallup
16/10/2004	51%	Gallup
17/10/2004	44%	CBS
18/10/2004	49%	Fox
24/10/2004	51%	Gallup
28/10/2004	48%	Fox
29/10/2004	47%	Fox
30/10/2004	47%	Fox
30/10/2004	49%	CBS
31/10/2004	47%	Fox
31/10/2004	48%	Gallup
10/11/2004	53%	Gallup
17/11/2004	53%	Fox
21/11/2004	51%	CBS
21/11/2004	55%	Gallup
08/12/2004	53%	Gallup
15/12/2004	48%	Fox
19/12/2004	49%	Gallup
05/01/2005	52%	Gallup
09/01/2005	52%	Gallup
12/01/2005	52%	Fox
16/01/2005	51%	Gallup
18/01/2005	49%	CBS
26/01/2005	50%	Fox
06/02/2005	57%	Gallup
09/02/2005	51%	Fox
10/02/2005	49%	Gallup
24/02/2005	51%	Gallup
27/02/2005	52%	Gallup
28/02/2005	49%	CBS
02/03/2005	52%	Fox
10/03/2005	52%	Gallup
20/03/2005	52%	Gallup
22/03/2005	43%	CBS
23/03/2005	45%	Gallup
30/03/2005	49%	Fox
02/04/2005	48%	Gallup
07/04/2005	50%	Gallup
16/04/2005	44%	CBS
21/04/2005	48%	Gallup
26/04/2005	47%	Fox
01/05/2005	48%	Gallup
05/05/2005	50%	Gallup
22/05/2005	46%	Gallup
24/05/2005	46%	CBS
26/05/2005	48%	Gallup
08/06/2005	47%	Gallup
15/06/2005	48%	Fox
15/06/2005	42%	CBS
19/06/2005	47%	Gallup
26/06/2005	45%	Gallup
30/06/2005	46%	Gallup
10/07/2005	49%	Gallup
13/07/2005	47%	Fox
24/07/2005	49%	Gallup
27/07/2005	47%	Fox
28/07/2005	44%	Gallup
02/08/2005	45%	CBS
07/08/2005	45%	Gallup
11/08/2005	45%	Gallup
25/08/2005	40%	Gallup
30/08/2005	45%	Gallup
31/08/2005	45%	Fox
31/08/2005	41%	CBS
07/09/2005	42%	CBS
11/09/2005	46%	Gallup
13/09/2005	41%	CBS
14/09/2005	41%	Fox
15/09/2005	45%	Gallup
18/09/2005	40%	Gallup
28/09/2005	45%	Fox
28/09/2005	45%	Gallup
05/10/2005	37%	CBS
12/10/2005	40%	Fox
16/10/2005	39%	Gallup
23/10/2005	42%	Gallup
26/10/2005	41%	Fox
26/10/2005	41%	Gallup
30/10/2005	41%	Gallup
01/11/2005	35%	CBS
09/11/2005	36%	Fox
10/11/2005	40%	Gallup
13/11/2005	37%	Gallup
20/11/2005	38%	Gallup
30/11/2005	42%	Fox
06/12/2005	40%	CBS
08/12/2005	43%	Gallup
11/12/2005	42%	Gallup
14/12/2005	42%	Fox
18/12/2005	41%	Gallup
22/12/2005	43%	Gallup
08/01/2006	41%	CBS
08/01/2006	43%	Gallup
11/01/2006	42%	Fox
12/01/2006	43%	Gallup
22/01/2006	43%	Gallup
25/01/2006	41%	Fox
25/01/2006	42%	CBS
08/02/2006	44%	Fox
09/02/2006	42%	Gallup
12/02/2006	39%	Gallup
26/02/2006	34%	CBS
01/03/2006	39%	Fox
01/03/2006	38%	Gallup
12/03/2006	34%	CBS
12/03/2006	36%	Gallup
15/03/2006	39%	Fox
16/03/2006	37%	Gallup
05/04/2006	36%	Fox
09/04/2006	37%	CBS
09/04/2006	37%	Gallup
13/04/2006	36%	Gallup
19/04/2006	33%	Fox
30/04/2006	33%	CBS
30/04/2006	34%	Gallup
03/05/2006	38%	Fox
07/05/2006	31%	Gallup
08/05/2006	31%	CBS
11/05/2006	33%	Gallup
17/05/2006	35%	CBS
18/05/2006	35%	Fox
04/06/2006	36%	Gallup
11/06/2006	33%	CBS
11/06/2006	38%	Gallup
14/06/2006	40%	Fox
25/06/2006	37%	Gallup
28/06/2006	41%	Fox
09/07/2006	40%	Gallup
12/07/2006	36%	Fox
23/07/2006	37%	Gallup
25/07/2006	36%	CBS
30/07/2006	40%	Gallup
09/08/2006	36%	Fox
10/08/2006	37%	Gallup
13/08/2006	36%	CBS
20/08/2006	42%	Gallup
21/08/2006	36%	CBS
30/08/2006	38%	Fox
10/09/2006	39%	Gallup
13/09/2006	40%	Fox
17/09/2006	44%	Gallup
19/09/2006	37%	CBS
27/09/2006	42%	Fox
08/10/2006	34%	CBS
08/10/2006	37%	Gallup
11/10/2006	40%	Fox
12/10/2006	37%	Gallup
22/10/2006	37%	Gallup
25/10/2006	40%	Fox
31/10/2006	34%	CBS
05/11/2006	38%	Fox
05/11/2006	38%	Gallup
12/11/2006	33%	Gallup
13/11/2006	34%	CBS
06/12/2006	38%	Fox
10/12/2006	31%	CBS
10/12/2006	38%	Gallup
14/12/2006	35%	Gallup
03/01/2007	30%	CBS
07/01/2007	37%	Gallup
14/01/2007	34%	Gallup
17/01/2007	35%	Fox
18/01/2007	36%	Gallup
21/01/2007	28%	CBS
31/01/2007	38%	Fox
04/02/2007	32%	Gallup
11/02/2007	32%	CBS
11/02/2007	37%	Gallup
14/02/2007	35%	Fox
27/02/2007	29%	CBS
28/02/2007	34%	Fox
04/03/2007	33%	Gallup
11/03/2007	34%	CBS
14/03/2007	35%	Gallup
25/03/2007	34%	Gallup
27/03/2007	30%	CBS
28/03/2007	33%	Fox
05/04/2007	38%	Gallup
12/04/2007	31%	CBS
15/04/2007	36%	Gallup
18/04/2007	38%	Fox
24/04/2007	32%	CBS
06/05/2007	34%	Gallup
13/05/2007	33%	Gallup
16/05/2007	34%	Fox
23/05/2007	30%	CBS
03/06/2007	32%	Gallup
06/06/2007	34%	Fox
14/06/2007	32%	Gallup
27/06/2007	31%	Fox
28/06/2007	27%	CBS
08/07/2007	29%	Gallup
15/07/2007	31%	Gallup
17/07/2007	29%	CBS
18/07/2007	32%	Fox
22/07/2007	30%	CBS
05/08/2007	34%	Gallup
12/08/2007	29%	CBS
16/08/2007	32%	Gallup
22/08/2007	33%	Fox
08/09/2007	30%	CBS
08/09/2007	33%	Gallup
12/09/2007	37%	Fox
16/09/2007	29%	CBS
16/09/2007	36%	Gallup
26/09/2007	34%	Fox
07/10/2007	32%	Gallup
10/10/2007	35%	Fox
14/10/2007	32%	Gallup
16/10/2007	30%	CBS
24/10/2007	35%	Fox
04/11/2007	31%	Gallup
14/11/2007	36%	Fox
14/11/2007	32%	Gallup
02/12/2007	34%	Gallup
09/12/2007	28%	CBS
09/12/2007	37%	Gallup
16/12/2007	32%	Gallup
19/12/2007	36%	Fox
06/01/2008	32%	Gallup
12/01/2008	29%	CBS
13/01/2008	34%	Gallup
31/01/2008	33%	Fox
02/02/2008	27%	CBS
02/02/2008	34%	Gallup
10/02/2008	33%	Gallup
14/02/2008	31%	Gallup
20/02/2008	32%	Fox
24/02/2008	30%	CBS
24/02/2008	32%	Gallup
09/03/2008	32%	Gallup
16/03/2008	32%	Gallup
18/03/2008	29%	CBS
19/03/2008	30%	Fox
02/04/2008	28%	CBS
09/04/2008	28%	Gallup
20/04/2008	28%	Gallup
29/04/2008	32%	Fox
29/04/2008	28%	CBS
03/05/2008	28%	CBS
03/05/2008	28%	Gallup
11/05/2008	29%	Gallup
01/06/2008	28%	Gallup
03/06/2008	25%	CBS
12/06/2008	30%	Gallup
18/06/2008	29%	Fox
19/06/2008	28%	Gallup
13/07/2008	31%	Gallup
14/07/2008	28%	CBS
23/07/2008	27%	Fox
27/07/2008	32%	Gallup
05/08/2008	25%	CBS
10/08/2008	33%	Gallup
20/08/2008	28%	Fox
20/08/2008	28%	CBS
23/08/2008	29%	Gallup
07/09/2008	33%	Gallup
09/09/2008	32%	Fox
11/09/2008	31%	Gallup
16/09/2008	27%	CBS
23/09/2008	26%	Fox
24/09/2008	26%	CBS
27/09/2008	27%	Gallup
30/09/2008	22%	CBS
05/10/2008	22%	CBS
05/10/2008	25%	Gallup
09/10/2008	25%	Fox
12/10/2008	25%	Gallup
13/10/2008	24%	CBS
21/10/2008	28%	Fox
22/10/2008	22%	CBS
26/10/2008	31%	Gallup
29/10/2008	29%	Fox
29/10/2008	22%	CBS
02/11/2008	26%	Fox
02/11/2008	20%	CBS
09/11/2008	28%	Gallup
16/11/2008	29%	Gallup

This data was collated by independent polling resource website PollingReport.com Full data from these and other polls can be found on the dedicated page President Bush: Job Ratings . The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.

FOX NEWS/OPINION DYNAMICS POLL: Question: "Do you approve or disapprove of the job George W Bush is doing as president?" Size of sample: 900 registered voters nationwide. Margin of error: ± 3

CBS NEWS: Question: "Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W Bush is handling his job as president?" Size of sample = 1,390 adults nationwide. Margin of error: ± 3

GALLUP POLL: Question: "Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W Bush is handling his job as president?" Size of sample: Approx. 1,000 adults nationwide. Margin of error: n/a