America is pleased – but it has been more so

Sorry, not a record. President Barack Obama's first official approval rating since taking power shows that 68 per cent of Americans think he is doing a good job in his first days. But while that figure is high and reflects the outpouring of joy and optimism on the capital's streets last week, it does not set a historic high.

The polling organisation Gallup measured an initial job approval rating of 72 per cent for John F Kennedy in 1961, and Dwight Eisenhower also scored 68 per cent. Even Jimmy Carter had an approval rating of 66 per cent on taking office in 1977, and we all know how that tenure ended.

Mr Obama's initial figure represents a return from the stratosphere after Gallup had previously found 83 per cent approved of how he was handling the transition.

There are very few Americans who actively disapprove of the new president, however. Gallup said 21 per cent were reserving judgement, leaving Mr Obama with a disapproval score of just 12 per cent.

In his final poll as he exited the White House, George Bush's approval rating was 34 per cent, while 61 per cent disapproved.