# Highest presidential approval rating in the history of the U.S ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 5, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-presidential-approval-rating-in-the-history-of-the-u-s/462127 "2008-09-05T04:04:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gozu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gozu/32/6615_2.png) [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-presidential-approval-rating-in-the-history-of-the-u-s/462127/1 "2008-09-05T04:04:46Z")
Bush is sitting at around 30% approval which is apparently very low in recent history. So what is the highest presidential approval rating ever attained? ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-presidential-approval-rating-in-the-history-of-the-u-s/462127/2 "2008-09-05T04:13:09Z")
Probably his father. To quote Wikipedia, “…at one point, was recorded as having a record-high approval rating of **89%.** However, economic recession and breaking his “no new taxes” pledge caused a sharp decline in his approval rating, and Bush was defeated in the 1992 election.” ---
**Author:** ![WoodenTaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@WoodenTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WoodenTaco)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-presidential-approval-rating-in-the-history-of-the-u-s/462127/3 "2008-09-05T04:17:24Z")
Wasn’t the current Bush at or above 90 immediately after 9/11? I think he briefly had the top spot. Wikipedia confirms - 92% on October 9, 2001 [Opinion poll - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approval_rating) ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-presidential-approval-rating-in-the-history-of-the-u-s/462127/4 "2008-09-05T04:22:34Z")
It’s not as though they had approval ratings in the beginning, but Washington did become the 1st President unanimously and was re-elected with the same in the Electoral College, so I’d imagine that he had outrageous approval ratings. It’s a shame that we can’t quantify it. I’d bet it beats 89% at some point in his administration. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-presidential-approval-rating-in-the-history-of-the-u-s/462127/5 "2008-09-05T12:19:37Z")
According to Wiki, GWB does in fact hold the distinction of having both [the highest presidential approval rating and the lowest presidential approval rating](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Presidential_approval_rating#Historical_comparison) since Gallup started asking the question during FDR’s presidency. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-presidential-approval-rating-in-the-history-of-the-u-s/462127/6 "2008-09-05T12:44:16Z")
> [@MikeS](#): > > According to Wiki, GWB does in fact hold the distinction of having both [the highest presidential approval rating and the lowest presidential approval rating](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Presidential_approval_rating#Historical_comparison) since Gallup started asking the question during FDR’s presidency. That’s called “blowing your political capital”.