Obama's Popularity Jumps After the Death of bin Laden

Can the death of bin Laden secure Barack Obama’s re-election? Evidently, it is too early to tell. However, a poll taken by The New York Times and CBS News after the announcement of the death of al-Qaida’s leader confirms that it comes as good news for the American president. For his approval rating in any case.

Fifty-seven percent of Americans are now in approval of the actions of Barack Obama, as opposed to 46 percent two weeks earlier. The American president thus recovers almost the same level of popularity as he had in 2009, one year after his arrival in the Oval Office. Likewise, his management in relation to terrorism is supported by almost three out of four Americans and even by a majority of Republicans (53 percent), a record since his presidency began. Similarly, 61 percent of those polled are satisfied with Obama’s policy on Afghanistan, compared to 44 percent in January, and 52 percent said that they approved of his foreign policy, as opposed to 39 percent only a few weeks ago.

A state of grace until 2012?

But there are a few spoilers: The euphoria provoked by the death of al-Qaida’s leader will not help Obama on the question of the economy. Only 34 percent of Americans approve of his action in this area, which is four points less than in April.

Elsewhere, 62 percent of the population believes that the heady terrorist threat against the United States will probably rise in the next few months, and the large majority do not feel any more secure now that Osama bin Laden is dead.

It remains to be seen whether Obama’s rise in popularity will endure. CBS News recalls that in 2003 George W. Bush’s approval rating reached 60 percent after the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, but this phenomenon did not last, with Bush never able to regain this certain level of satisfaction … something that did not stop him, however, from being re-elected the following year.