After 18 months of Obama, Americans already feeling fonder of Dick Cheney, less so of Al Gore July 14, 2010 | 4:04 am
OK, here's a refreshing -- somewhat surprising -- poll to make some folks spew out their hot coffee this morning:
Americans are already starting to think better of former Vice President Dick Cheney.
There's a distinct global chilling going on about former Vice President Al Gore (you know, the divorce/alleged groping/debunked climate stuff).
And, eh, about the same feelings over Barack Obama's voluble sidekick, Joe Biden, who copied his notorious effing line from its inventor, his GOP predecessor.
The new Gallup Poll, released overnight, shows that a near-majority of Americans now views almost-president Gore unfavorably (49%), while 44% are favorable, down 14 points since his Nobel Prize glory days of 2007.
As the most recent former White House No. 2, Cheney had the most to improve in favorable ratings. And, actually, he did improve the most in the opinion of surveyed Americans.
Cheney's robust unfavorable rating melted 11 points during the past 18 months of the Democrat duo of Obama-Biden to 52% now. While the Republican's favorables surged from their low point of 30% all the way up to an impressive 36% now.That's a stunning 20% improvement.
Maybe that's why the genial Cheney's smiling so broadly above. Or perhaps he has something cagey in mind for 2012.
America's top Amtrak rider stayed about the same in American minds as he was last fall before predicting incorrectly that NBA star LeBron James would stay to play in Cleveland -- 43% favorable and 41% unfavorable. (No crosstabs of Ohioans.)
JB is down from his high points of 59% favorable and 29% unfavorable. However, those glory days actually came in 2008 before Americans got to know him as an actual vice president in charge of the economic non-recovery.
-- Andrew Malcolm
