Barack Obama’s election raised hopes that his amiable and telegenic family could help overcome decades-old negative stereotypes of black families in the United States. Although the lasting impact is unclear, polls show Americans admired the Obamas’ family life in their first year and a clear majority held a positive view of Michelle Obama throughout her time as first lady.
In the fall of 2009, a Pew Research Center/National Public Radio poll found 66 percent of Americans saying they liked the way President Obama and his family led their life in the White House. Only 12 percent said they disliked the Obamas’ lifestyle, while 22 percent held no opinion.
Gallup polls asking about Michelle Obama found an average 65 percent of the public holding a favorable view of her since 2009, while 27 percent held unfavorable views. Her positive rating hit a high of 72 percent shortly after her husband took office in March 2009, falling to 61 percent near the end of that year.
Michelle Obama’s popularity as
first lady
Percentage of adults with a favorable or
unfavorable impression of Michelle Obama.
Unfavorable
Favorable
72%
60
66%
66%
61%
64%
40
32%
29%
20
27%
25%
17%
0
2009
2012
2014
2016
Source: Gallup polls
Michelle Obama’s popularity as first lady
Percentage of adults with a favorable or unfavorable impression of Michelle Obama.
72%
Favorable
60
66%
66%
61%
64%
40
Unfavorable
32%
29%
20
27%
25%
17%
0
2009
2012
2014
2016
Source: Gallup Polls
Michelle Obama’s popularity has held steady even as Americans grew critical of her husband’s performance as president. In early 2014, President Obama’s job approval rating stood at just above 40 percent in Gallup surveys, but a far larger 66 percent had a favorable personal impression of the first lady in February of that year. She hit a low point of 58 percent in July 2016, a dip not seen in some other public surveys. But her favorable mark climbed above 60 percent after her speech to the Democratic National Convention, where she lauded the country’s progress from slaves building the White House to her daughters, Malia and Sasha, playing on its lawn as part of the first family.
It is possible Michelle Obama’s high marks are somewhat dependent on the way in which surveys were conducted. A recent experimental study by Pew found more intensely negative ratings for the first lady and some other political figures when respondents completed a survey on the Internet rather than a traditional telephone interview, as in Gallup surveys.
Michelle Obama’s popularity compared to past first spouses
Average percentage of Americans rating each "favorable" during her husband's
presidential term.
0
20
40
60
80
81%
Barbara Bush
72%
Laura Bush
65%
Michelle Obama
56%
Hillary Clinton
55%
Nancy Reagan
Source: Data for Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Barbara Bush and Michelle Obama based on Gallup polls; data for Nancy Reagan based on
Washington Post-ABC News polls.
Michelle Obama’s popularity compared to past first spouses
Average percentage of Americans rating each "favorable" during her husband's
presidential term.
0
20
40
60
80
Barbara Bush
81%
Laura Bush
72%
Michelle Obama
65%
Hillary Clinton
56%
Nancy Reagan
55%
Source: Data for Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Barbara Bush and Michelle Obama based on Gallup polls; data for Nancy Reagan based on Washington Post-ABC News polls.
Nonetheless, when comparing polls measuring popularity of recent first ladies using similar methodologies, Obama’s personal positive image stands right in the middle. Her 65 percent average favorable rating is higher than Hillary Clinton’s 56 percent mark in Gallup polls while Bill Clinton was in office, and is also higher than Nancy Reagan’s 55 percent in Post-ABC polls while she lived in the White House. Yet Obama has been significantly less popular than both Bush spouses, with Gallup polls showing 72 percent held a favorable rating of Laura Bush during George W. Bush’s two terms and 81 percent rating Barbara Bush favorably during George H.W. Bush’s single term.