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Jamaal510

(10,893 posts)
Wed Apr 24, 2013, 04:08 PM Apr 2013

Is it true that former presidents become more popular the longer they're out of office?

I remember hearing this in a POSCI class once, and that had me thinking...would more people really start to approve of Bush ll the longer he is out office? On one segment of The Cycle less than an hour ago, they mentioned his approval rating being somewhere in the mid 40s now. Considering how much he raised UE and how he had the country fighting in two pointless wars, I just find it incredible that his approval rating is even that high less than 5 years after leaving office.

What are everyone's thoughts?

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Is it true that former presidents become more popular the longer they're out of office? (Original Post) Jamaal510 Apr 2013 OP
Harding, Hoover, Nixon. N.T. Donald Ian Rankin Apr 2013 #1
It took Hoover a LONG time to regain any sort of stature. NYC Liberal Apr 2013 #3
Yes, for a few reasons TimberValley Apr 2013 #2
Bingo treestar Apr 2013 #4
Gerald Ford: Growing in public esteem...Oh, Not growing in public esteem byeya Apr 2013 #5

NYC Liberal

(20,132 posts)
3. It took Hoover a LONG time to regain any sort of stature.
Wed Apr 24, 2013, 05:05 PM
Apr 2013

Democrats controlled the White House and Congress for 20 years straight (1933-1953) during which time he was persona non grata in DC. He and FDR did not like each other, to say the least; after FDR beat him, Hoover invited him to the WH whereupon FDR was made to stand for nearly an hour while Hoover took his time coming downstairs.

And aside from Hoover basically being exiled from the national political scene, there was no Fox, no 24/7 right-wing corporate media, etc.

 

TimberValley

(318 posts)
2. Yes, for a few reasons
Wed Apr 24, 2013, 04:57 PM
Apr 2013

With bad presidents, people tend to forget how bad they were, just because so much time has elapsed. Before long, you have a generation of people who never even lived under that president's administration.


Also, with bad news always in the forefront in the news, people tend to criticize the current President in the here and now. Past presidents are remembered more positively, simply because as time goes by, our perception clouds as well. We think, "Such-and-such a president would have done better than our current President."

treestar

(82,383 posts)
4. Bingo
Wed Apr 24, 2013, 05:08 PM
Apr 2013

It is funny when you see praise for FDR and LBJ as if the same people wouldn't have been trashing them during their actual administrations.

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