First lady Michelle Obama’s poll ratings lag well behind the ratings earned by Laura Bush, according to a new Gallup survey.
Obama’s positive rating among adults is only 66 percent, compared to Bush’s 73 percent favorable rating.
Barbara Bush, wife of President George H.W. Bush, outscored both, at 77 percent, the poll of adults revealed.
Michelle Obama is dragged down by a negative rating from 25 percent of Gallup’s respondents.
But Michelle Obama still scores higher that Hillary Clinton, whose positive ratings were at 56 percent. Clinton’s negative ratings were 37 percent.
The poll ratings are shaped by the first lady’s activities. Generally, the public doesn’t believe the unelected first lady should play a political role.
Clinton scorned a supporting role for her husband, and pushed aggressively for an unpopular health-care takeover that crashed.
Michelle has pushed to change the look of her fellow Americans by reshaping their eating and exercise habits. But she’s limited the risk of a backlash by trying to not stigmatize heavy or fat people.
In contrast, Laura Bush championed the non-political goal of boosting kids’ reading habits. Barbara didn’t push any political or memorable goal.
Michelle Obama gets higher support from women than from men, and 92 percent support from Democrats, but only 61 percent support from independents and 43 percent approval from GOP supporters.
Still, that’s far higher than the support given to her husband, who only gets 47 percent from independents and 18 percent support from GOP voters.
