While he was anchoring live coverage of the Roland Burris Senate drama on MSNBC this morning, anchor Chris Matthews interrupted his discussion with Newsweek's Jonathan Alter to narrate pictures of Barack Obama being driven to the White House for a luncheon with all of the living U.S. presidents.
Matthews celebrated the moment by proudly announcing poll numbers that showed Obama and the ex-Democratic presidents having higher approval ratings than the Republicans, particularly the "kid" George W. Bush.
Matthews announced at 11:24am ET:
This is Barack Obama coming from the transition office, which is down around 6th Street, near the Capitol, coming down to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue where he'll meet with the President and with the other former presidents, George Herbert Walker Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.
And by the way, we're going to have -- I want to have you stick around for this Jonathan -- we have the latest poll numbers on these presidents, just to run them through everybody right now. Barack Obama's at 82 percent right now in public approval. Bill Clinton's at 69, Jimmy Carter's at 64. Bush I, George Herbert Walker Bush is at 60 and his kid, the President, is at 27. So it's better to be a past president today.




















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WAIT! WAIT!
January 7, 2009 - 12:36 ET by AJBI'm feeling that TINGLE up my leg!
And the pollster is who?
January 7, 2009 - 12:39 ET by sembyChris didn't mention who did the polling for this................
Chris' pol(e)
January 7, 2009 - 12:44 ET by AJBLike the porn reviews, Chris uses his anatomical barometer... flaccid (Bush), semi-erect (Harry Reid, Barbara Pelosi) and flag-staff-viagara-4-hour lift (Obama).
When Obama leaves office I
January 7, 2009 - 12:46 ET by SeashellWhen Obama leaves office I am sure his poll numbers will be sky high since Chris will have been there to make sure Obama's Presidency is a success.
This is an MSNBC poll
January 7, 2009 - 13:32 ET by kg"Forget change, I want improvement!"
The pole was among NBC
January 7, 2009 - 12:47 ET by taterThe pole was among NBC employees.
www.theholyrosary.org
"There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we can not resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary." -Sister Lucia
82%?
January 7, 2009 - 12:51 ET by lotrI'm skeptical of this figure.
And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. -- Edgar Allan Poe
Jimmy Carter at 64%!
January 7, 2009 - 13:08 ET by fitzfongJimmy Carter at 64%! Puh-leeze! There's no way that Carter, the worst President ever, polled a 64% popularity rating unless EMILY's List was surveying Al Queda and the KGB.
By the way the irony of Clinton at 69 is not lost on me.
"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." -Ronald Reagan
fitzfong.blogspot.com
Good evening fitz
January 7, 2009 - 13:19 ET by cocodrieThe poll was misread. 64 people in America approved of Carter not 64%.
Cocodrie
January 7, 2009 - 14:16 ET by choselife3xThanks for the laugh.
In order to be pro-choice, one must first be born. Ah, the irony.
Be careful chose
January 7, 2009 - 14:21 ET by cocodrieBe careful chose, Poptart will be along shortly trolling polls to prove me wrong.
That's okay coco
January 7, 2009 - 14:34 ET by choselife3xHe's a lot of fun to tease. I had a blast with him on Sunday.
In order to be pro-choice, one must first be born. Ah, the irony.
ROFL! 64 people. So, if
January 7, 2009 - 14:19 ET by Free StinkerROFL!
64 people.
So, if you subtract out the currently seated Democrat Senators (58), and Nancy Pelosie that leaves 5 . . . Al Franken, And the Obamas.
Good evening Free
January 7, 2009 - 14:24 ET by cocodrieYou sure are good at details.
Yes, but you caught the
January 7, 2009 - 14:35 ET by Free StinkerYes, but you caught the initial error in reporting the poll. ;-)
I wanna fight them!
January 7, 2009 - 13:25 ET by AgentAmericanI've had it with these punks. Seriously. I need to stop reading NewsBusters until my blood pressure gets back down.
This is abosolute BULLS**T. Enough. Tear them down.
2010: A GOP Hill
Right to the very end
January 7, 2009 - 13:55 ET by Mary Louise TurnerIt is outrageous, but alas, not surprising that MSDNC and the rest of the MSM buffoons have to bash GWB, right to the very end. Putting Jimmy Carter ahead of Mr. Bush is laughable, to say the least...
The Most
January 7, 2009 - 13:55 ET by jaywlHow many times have I seen : President Bush has become the most unpopular President _______ __ _____. Fill in the blanks with "since, ever, at any, with new, historically, da de da dum". If he were a baseball player readers would want to know what kind of fruitcake was writing the stories.
THIRTY four
January 7, 2009 - 14:28 ET by katainkentnot 64. Chris needs glasses. And can someone explain how we can approve of a Obama's presidential performance when he's not even been innaugurated?
"part of what I'm hoping to introduce as the next president is a new ethic of [government enforced] responsibility" - B. Obama
kk, its really not Chris' fault.
January 7, 2009 - 14:38 ET by R D HelmLOL-He was blinded by the light o' the messiah!
-Dave
“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -Because enough is enough.
Jimmy Carter @ 64%???
January 7, 2009 - 14:34 ET by R D HelmThere are only three places on Earth where he could pull those kind of poll numbers:
-Dave
“Them that’s going get on the wagon. Them that ain’t get out of the way.” -Because enough is enough.
First of all, Obama's not a
January 7, 2009 - 15:13 ET by marpelFirst of all, Obama's not a past President. He's not even President at this point. And the 82 percent are probably cherry-picked Democrats and other Liberal types. That goes for the 27 percent and Carter's unbelieveable 64 percent (I don't believe that for one minute).
And what Republican would believe Chris Matthews anyway...except for Joe Scarborough?
64?!?!!
January 7, 2009 - 16:05 ET by ToddonCapeCodThen how did he lose to Reagan?!
I am convinced that anyone who believes Jimmuh Carter was a good president was either not born yet, or stoned throughout his presidency.
64.... give me a break! Did they poll Castro and all his dictator buddies to get this number?!?!
Judging by the results, I'd
January 7, 2009 - 19:26 ET by RR GOPJudging by the results, I'd say that Castro would have scored higher than the Bush's...maybe not quite as high as Chavez, but he'd be way up there!
One of the 24% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 89% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.