High Hopes and Expectations for Obama

A new Gallup poll shows that Americans hold the incoming Obama administration with high regard one week after he was elected president.

The poll found that 68% of adults have a favorable opinion of president-elect Barack Obama and 65% think the country will be better off four years from now. This result means that people have faith in Obama and are pulling for him, but they are expecting a lot from him at the same time. But it is clear that Obama will be entering the White House on a wave of good will.

About 50% of Americans thought that the country would be better off in four years when George Bush and Bill Clinton were first elected. But then again, the country was not nearly in as bad shape as it is today, and many American now believe that we have nowhere to go but up.

Here's a fun fact for you: Obama's approval rating is the exact same as Bush's disapproval rating--also sitting pretty at 68%. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that its the same 68% that approve of Obama and disapprove of Bush.

The two really interesting things to watch in the first few months of the administration will be to see (1) if Obama's popularity wanes, and by how much and (2) how Republicans--especially in the Senate--will deal with Obama's popularity.

Will they try to filibuster his initial legislation and oppose him right from the start and risk the consequences of not letting a popular president carry out his policies? Or will they give him a chance and try to bridge the partisan gap? My money's on the first one.