Barack Obama remains the most popular living U.S. president according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS [1].
The findings arrive as the Barack Obama Presidential Center opens in Chicago, Illinois [2]. The data highlights a stark divide in public perception among the three most recent occupants of the White House, underscoring the enduring nature of Obama's public image compared to his successors.
According to the poll results released this week, 57% of Americans hold a favorable view of the former president [3]. This figure places Obama significantly ahead of other living presidents in the survey [1].
Obama leads former President Donald Trump (R-FL) by more than 20 percentage points in favorability [4]. The gap indicates a deep polarization in how the American public views the two former leaders, a trend that has persisted across multiple polling cycles.
Additionally, the data shows that Obama is nearly twice as popular as President Joe Biden (D-Del) [4]. While Biden remains the sitting president, his favorability ratings trail those of his predecessor by a substantial margin.
CNN commissioned the SSRS poll to gauge the current public standing of living U.S. presidents [5]. The timing of the poll coincides with the opening of the presidential center, which serves as a permanent archive and museum of the 44th president's legacy [2].
The results reflect a broader trend in national sentiment where Obama's approval has remained relatively stable since leaving office, while Trump and Biden have faced more volatile public opinion [1].
“57% of Americans hold a favorable view of Barack Obama”
The disparity in favorability ratings suggests that while the U.S. electorate remains deeply divided along partisan lines, Barack Obama has maintained a level of cross-partisan or enduring appeal that his immediate successors have not achieved. The significant gap between Obama and Biden specifically indicates that the 'halo effect' of a former presidency does not automatically transfer to the current administration of the same party.
