The Nation : Reagan Popularity Soars

President Reagan, borne by a strong wave of consumer optimism, received a 68% approval rating in the latest Gallup Poll. Only 23% disapproved of his performance and 9% were undecided, the survey found. The President’s current rating is the highest recorded during his tenure, matching the score he received five years ago during the “honeymoon” period of his first year in office. The rating also breaks historical precedent: Each of Reagan’s four postwar predecessors who won reelection or was elected to his own term after non-elective presidential service saw his popularity erode sharply as his tenure progressed.