The public has warmed considerably to the soon-to-be first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, since her husband clinched the Democratic nomination for president last June. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds Mrs. Obama viewed positively by 72 percent of Americans, up from 48 percent when she was both less popular and less widely known last June.
Positive impressions of the self-described "mom in chief" are widespread across party lines, with 92 percent of Democrats, 71 percent of independents and 47 percent of Republicans (including 50 percent of GOP women), expressing favorable views.
Black women are the next FLOTUS's biggest cheerleaders: 99 percent like her (83 percent do so "strongly"), compared with 70 percent of white women.
And since June, Obama has made perhaps her biggest strides among seniors: Just as the general election campaign got underway, 38 percent of seniors held a positive view of her, while 41 percent saw her in a negative light. Now, seniors express overwhelmingly favorable impressions, with 73 percent having a favorable take, 15 percent unfavorable.
Still, her favorability rating lags slightly behind Barack Obama's - 79 percent have a positive view of the President-elect. Two-thirds said they view both Obamas favorably. This shared goodwill is one big difference between the new first couple and the outgoing one. In the latest Post-ABC poll, President Bush's favorability rating stands at 37 percent, the lowest level reached during his tenure. By contrast, his wife Laura leaves Washington with her popularity intact: 76 percent in the latest USA Today-Gallup poll survey view her positively.
June '08 Now
No No
Fav Unfav opin. Fav Unfav opin
All 48 29 23 72 17 11
Women 54 27 19 74 16 10
Men 42 30 28 70 19 12
Democrats 66 15 19 92 5 3
Republicans 30 50 20 47 38 15
Independents 44 28 28 71 17 12
Black 84 7 9 95 2 4
White 41 33 25 68 20 12
Women:
Black 89 5 5 99 1 1
White 48 31 20 70 19 12
18-39 58 22 20 73 18 9
40-64 45 30 26 70 18 12
65+ 38 41 21 73 15 12
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