First 100 Days Better Than Great

Depending who you ask, Obama is 'elusive,' 'arrogant,' or 'preening'

(NEWSER) - Whoever the man in the Oval Office really is, he's not a traditional liberal, writes Gerald Seib in the Wall Street Journal. Rather than aiming to bolster government programs, President Obama "seems to see government as the way to prompt the changes he wants in the economy or society." But not all Republican writers are as ambivalent: More»

President enjoying 'Reagan-like' levels of popularity as early milestone is reached

(NEWSER) - Today marks President Obama's hundredth day in the job and he's more popular than his two immediate predecessors were at this point, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. Over half of those polled said Obama is off to a good—or great—start, 61% approve of the job he is doing as president, and 64% see him in a favorable light. More»

A look at approval ratings, community-by-community

(NEWSER) - After 100 days, President Obama is more divisive, more popular with moderates, and bigger with his base than George W. Bush was at this point—depending on where you look, the Christian Science Monitor finds in a look at 11 community types. Overall, Obama’s 63% Pew approval rating beats Bush’s—but unlike Obama, Dubya was rated at least 59% in all communities studied. More»

(NEWSER) - With decisions that some presidents don’t make in 4 years packed into his first 100 days, what President Obama’s advisers deride as a “Hallmark holiday” presents a legitimate occasion for a report card, and for a Politico team to catch up with White House insiders. “I don’t want to go through accomplishments, because I feel like I’m just walking around with a punch card,” Rahm Emanuel says. More»

Look out for these White House plugs next Wednesday

(NEWSER) - President Obama's savvy advisers may scoff at his 100th day as a "Hallmark holiday," but they're happy to tell reporters how to cover it. Politico lists what the White House is spinning:

• Obama's not overambitious, just a promise-keeper—right down to that new pup.
• His broader vision is unclear because it's so different.
• He's in touch with the people.