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The February IBD/TIPP Poll finds 53% of adults approve of how President Joe Biden is handling his job, while just 29% disapprove of his performance. The Biden job approval number shows the new president is enjoying something Donald Trump never had: a honeymoon.
XAmong registered voters, 58% approve of how Biden is handling his job and 29% disapprove. Among registered independents, 42% approve and 34% disapprove.
On the coronavirus, 56% give Biden a good grade, while 21% give him poor marks. Biden's handling of the economy is judged excellent or good by 49% of American adults, while 25% see it as poor or unacceptable.
How Biden Job Approval Compares To Predecessors
Biden's IBD/TIPP job approval level of 64.6 — the share of adults who approve as a percentage of those who offer a firm opinion — compares to 46.5 in the February 2017 poll following Trump's inauguration.
Still, America hasn't quite been swept off her feet compared to other recent presidential first terms. President Obama enjoyed a 75.3 job approval in the February 2009 IBD/TIPP Poll. Even President George W. Bush began his first term in 2001 with a higher rating, 71.5, despite a popular-vote loss and messy Florida recount.
However, for this contentious era of politics, Biden's job approval is pretty lofty — 21.1 points above Trump's final 43.5 job approval standing in the January IBD/TIPP Poll. Trump's highest job approval, 50.1, came in April 2020, in the early weeks of the coronavirus lockdown after Congress had passed a massive rescue package.
In fact, Biden's approval is the highest since Obama's 66.3 rating in June 2009, barely four months into his first term.
What Biden Job Approval Means For His Agenda
Presidential job approval is a big deal for elections, but not necessarily for governing, if a president's party controls Congress. Trump proved that with his 2017 tax cuts.
Biden's relative popularity and call for unity haven't swayed Republicans to embrace his $1.9 trillion stimulus package. Ten GOP senators on Monday offered up a $618 billion compromise bill. The GOP package features $1,000 stimulus checks for couples earning up to $80,000, an extension of emergency jobless benefits through June and money to accelerate vaccines and testing.
Whatever Biden can't pass with a 60-vote Senate majority, he can aim to do on a party-line vote. Budget reconciliation requires just 50 Senate votes plus a vice presidential tiebreaker to pass tax and spending measures, as long as the package doesn't add to the deficit after 10 years.
Biden learned from Obama's experience that a honeymoon can be fleeting and congressional majorities can be short-lived. The pandemic-fueled sense of emergency also may begin to fade sooner than later. Wall Street was surprised at the scale of Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus request, but the biggest surprise may still be to come, when he unveils his reconciliation package.
The February IBD/TIPP Poll reflects online surveys of 1,261 adults, including 1,002 registered voters, from Jan. 27-29. The results come with a credibility interval of +/- 2.8 points.
Please follow Jed Graham on Twitter @IBD_JGraham for coverage of economic policy and financial markets.
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