Does anyone have a month to month approval graph for Reagan's first term?

[TomCADem]

I know that unemployment zoomed over 10 percent in his first term. What affect did it have on Reagan's approval rating?

[NYC_SKP]

1. here, sort of, not month to month but detailed enough to make comparisons.

[TomCADem]

2. Thanks! It Is Ironic To Hear Right Wing Types Declare President Obama A Failure

When unemployment under Reagan did not START rising until July into his term. I looked at the BLS, and it shows that unemployment was relative flat in President Carter's last two years, though it rose from 6.3 percent to 7.2 percent, which is an increase of 0.9 percent. However, under Reagan, unemployment did not really start shooting through the roof until July of 1981 when it went from 7.2 percent to a high of 10.8 percent in December 1982. Unemployment did not dip down under ten percent under Reagan until July 1983.

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In contrast, with President Obama it is clear that it started steadily rising under George Bush since 2007, and it really started accelerating way back in February 2008. Indeed, from January 2008 to January 2009 (before President Obama took office) unemployment rose from 4.9 percent to 7.2 percent. Now, using Reagan as an example, if unemployment dips under 10 percent by July 2011, that would appear to make President Obama ready for Sainthood like Saint Ronnie if you are using the GOP's metrics.

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[WI_DEM]

4. people forget that midterm in Reagan's first term, RR wasn't a cinch to win re-election

Reagan approval rating was falling and got below 40% and Dems won several seats in Nov '82 in the House. Unemployment was high and so was the deficit. Mondale was even beating RR in match-ups in the spring of '83. But by the end of '83 with unemployment dropping RR made a comeback.

[Kdillard]

5. Thanks very interesting graphs.

[Fire1]

3. I don't need a graph or a poll. I lived through that shit. n/t