Are likeable Presidents more effective?

[Pat Coyle]

The chart below from Pew Research shows our last few Presidents and their respective approval ratings after 100 days office. While President Obama is clearly drawing favorable sentiment, so did other Presidents in their first 100 days. Interestingly, the numbers for Reagan and Obama, two very charasmatic and well liked men, are almost identical, and in Reagan's case a full 10 points higher than Bush and Clinton. Still, the majority of Americans approved of each of our last 5 Presidents at the 100 day mark, just as with Obama today.

So why do we even do these polls? Are these polls simply to give the news media something to talk about? Given the complexity of being leader of the free world, does public opinion of a President have any bearing on his or her past or future effectiveness in office? Share your thoughts here

[Shane Johnson]

Are likeable people more effective?

[Blanca Houston]

Likeable people are better able to ease people's fears. And presently, there is a lot to fear--loss of jobs, loss of identity,etc.. That is the social and psychological reality of our times. The other side of this coin is that the greater the loss or perceived loss, the greater control one is likely to surrender.
This is a dangerous situation. Remember, we have 3 branches of government. Congress is not likeable, and not effective. Now we have two branches of government who share the same political acumen, are they going to save the day? Stay tuned, but don't expect miracles. You know what they say, "Absolute power, corrupts absolutely!

[David Mark]

@ Shane You took the exact words out of my mouth! It doesn't begin or end with El Presidente.

[Robert Larson]

Simply put... I think Presidents are more likeable IF they are effective.

[Tiffany Sauder]

Amen!

[Mark Howard]

O'bama has been effective (at passing things I disapprove of) which make me like him less

[Daniel Herndon]

You know, I would say that likable presidents face less opposition and can push their agenda more effectively. That being said it appears to me that President Obama has capitalized on fear and discord rather than building on the public favor he's garnered. Will that be to his detriment or is he playing the cards well?

[Julia Muney Moore]

I disagree--I think Obama has so far REFUSED to use fear tactics and gone out of his way to reassure the public that he and his team have things well in hand. He has then backed up his words by putting effective programs and measures in place. This is why he is so likeable--AND effective.

[Cissi Sherlock]

We've got a lot of "Amen's" here, and here's mine!

(P.S.: Do the "Amen's " mean we are a nation founded on Christian principles?) OOps, the topic is likability!!!

I am so tired of the negative atmosphere that he (Obama)creates when he is "updating" us on the state of affairs. He may as well use Orson Welles as his writer. Will people be convinced that the martians are coming just because Obama said it.

Negative breed negative. Positive breeds positive. When you hear people saying "...well, Obama said...", you know we are in trouble.

A negative delivery creates a fearful nation. He might term it "transparency", but in the running of a government, just like in the running of a family, you have to listen to the people and do what best for them without being so transparent that you become overexposed and vulnerable.

Don't get me started on the release of the waterboarding files!

How can we look forward to a positive outcome if we are feed such doom and gloom like, "This is the worst economic situation since the Great Depression!"?

[Janette Dollar]

"Negative breeds negative. Positive breeds positive." Refers to attitude, not information. Truth breeds freedom. Give me a person who tells the truth any day, over someone who will try and protect us from ourselves by ignoring truths & realities that are not "positive". Get a grip. You'd rather not hear anything "negative"?? Bring George back and he'll give you some flag waving and freedom smiles while he destroys the constitution and demonstrates how we all are just as expendable. (And BTW, "christian principles" are the same principles as many other religions. This country belongs to all its citizens, not just those belonging to the religion with the strongest arm.)

I don't disagree with everything you say, but this argument that people need to be treated with kid gloves is disturbing and all too prevalent.

[Joyce Detterline]

Totally agree. If you look at economic trends through the years, we've seen it worse (in the early 80's for example) and we worked through that, not with fear, but with determination and a President making us feel we COULD DO ANYTHING, instead of focusing on all the bad.

[Cissi Sherlock]

I questions, as will many, "effective".

Just like in the cae of the CNN newsperson that interviewd the guy with the baby (I know, and the Hitler sign). She stated to him (in effect)"...but you're getting a $400 stimulus refund!"

Well and good when you consider that $400 is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions it's going to take to pay it back to China.

So I might like you. But, does what you do make good sense?

You run into that all the time in everyday life. Why have a different perception now just because it pertains to the president.I think people are just so Bush-weary that they are not using common sense.