In the wake of President Obama's first state visit to Britain, Peter Kellner looks at our recent polls to compare the current President's popularity with that of his predecessor, George W. Bush
What a difference eight years and one president make. In November 2003, George Bush visited Britain. In the aftermath of the Iraq war the US president was profoundly unpopular in Britain. President Obama’s reception has been totally different. On behalf of Channel 4 News, YouGov repeated a number of questions we first asked about Mr Bush’s visit eight years ago.
| Bush 2003 % | Obama 2011 % | |
|---|---|---|
Those who... |
|
|
...welcome the President's visit | 21 | 60 |
…have confidence in (Bush/Obama) as President | 22 | 72 |
…think he is highly intelligent | 17 | 81 |
…think he is sincere | 29 | 73 |
On all the personal issues, the contrast is remarkable. When we listed ten characteristics – five positive and five negative – and asked people to say which two or three they most associated with the President, three of Bush’s top four were negative – while all four of Obama’s top four were positive:
| Bush, 2003: | |
|---|---|
Danger to world peace | 60% |
Stupid | 37% |
Incoherent | 33% |
Decisive | 30% |
| Obama, 2011: | |
|---|---|
Intelligent | 64% |
Articulate | 55% |
Good world leader | 33% |
Strong | 32% |
However, on practical issues to do with Britain’s relationship with America, the movement in opinion has been less. There is a noticeable uplift in the proportions trusting America and wanting a close relationship with it; but that desire and trust did not wholly evaporate during the Bush era – and there is no full consensus for them now:
| Bush 2003 % | Obama 2011 % | |
|---|---|---|
Those who... |
|
|
…regard the President as a good friend of Britain | 40 | 57 |
…want the US-UK ‘special relationship’ to continue | 34 | 42 |
…have confidence in the US to act responsibly as the world’s only superpower | 38 | 52 |
Overall, President Obama’s visit has been a huge success. During the Bush era, YouGov found repeatedly that we loved America’s people, culture and economy, even when we hated its President. Now most of us love both the country and its leader. But the case for continued close co-operation needs to be made anew with each crisis. After Iraq and Afghanistan, it cannot be taken for granted, even when the world’s only superpower is led by a man we regard more as a megastar than an elected politician.
