Obama's big approval bump: Will it last?
In the first major poll conducted after bin Laden's death, the president's approval rating jumped 9 points, to 56 percent

From the moment President Obama announced that he'd ordered a successful mission to kill and capture Osama bin Laden, political analysts have made a "parlor game" of guessing just how big the bounce to Obama's poll numbers would be. Now, the first numbers are coming in: A Pew poll for The Washington Post registered a nine-point jump in Obama's approval rating, to 56 percent — his highest numbers since 2009. A New York Times/CBS News poll released Wednesday morning pegged the rise at 11 points, to 57 percent. Will the good feelings last?
This will be a short-lived bounce: The healthy uptick in Obama's approval rating will be welcome news in the White House, says Steve Kornacki at Salon. And his poll numbers could improve even more in the next day or so. But as with most foreign policy victories, the president's bin Laden bounce will be fleeting. "After a few weeks — or even just a few days — of artificially inflated approval ratings," the sputtering economy will drag Obama back down.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Even a "muted" boost is meaningful: The Pew poll's nine-point bump is getting most of the attention, says Nate Silver at The New York Times. But "other polls show more marginal gains" — about a five-point boost, on average. That's at the low end of predictions, and suggests people's views of Obama are already "quite deeply entrenched." Still, if taking out bin Laden wins Obama even 1 percent of voters, that could swing a close election.
"Overnight polls find muted improvement in Obama's approval rating"
The polls are missing the real impact: Look, "I trust polling and political science... up to a point," says Andrew Sullivan at The Daily Beast. "But seriously, the idea that this event does not transform the arc of the Obama presidency is to miss the moment." In one move, Obama killed the entire narrative the Right has been selling about him: That he is weak, soft on terrorism, un-American, alien. What's the GOP going to run on now?
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published