The Following Content Has Been Provided by:Bob Unruh

Pollsters and pundits long have labeled Barack Obama as one of the most “popular” presidents of recent times.

He bragged while being nominated of plans to “fundamentally” change the nation, and then in office accomplished much toward that goal, weaponizing federal power against perceived political opponents, demanding Christians give up their religious rights on issues like abortion, orchestrating a government takeover over of massive parts of the nation’s economy, and installing hundreds, perhaps thousands, of leftist extremists in key government posts.

But now a report shows that Donald Trump’s popularity rivals Obama’s, and the Republican president’s policies even outshine those of the Illinois politician who jumped from Chicago to Washington by defeating Hillary Clinton for the Democrat nomination that year.

It is in a report in the Washington Examiner that columnist Paul Bedard explains, “President Donald Trump’s approval ratings are paralleling those of former President Barack Obama’s at the start of his second term, and the Republican’s policies are even more popular than he is, giving him room to grow his poll numbers.”

He cites three new surveys showing Trump’s approval rating now is better than it was at the close of his first term.

“And a new element of those polls is that his policies are even more popular, suggesting that he can increase his personal approval rating above 50%,” the report said.

Mark Mitchell of Rasmussen Reports explained, “His policies are more popular than he is,” and Mark Penn of Harvard Caps-Harris Poll assured, “I think he’s got room to grow it.”

The report said a Big Data Poll put Trump’s approval at 48% and his favorability at 51%, signally that voters continue to “give the president space as he pushes through with his economic and immigration agenda.”

“If these economic concerns turn out to be unjustified, we should all expect the president’s numbers to rebound, perhaps sharply,” pollster Rich Baris said.

Rasmussen confirmed Trump’s approval is tracking Obama’s “at the same stage of a second term, and he predicted that the president could do better.”

And Mitchell said Trump probably is going to “trace a little higher than that.”

Penn explained, during an interview with Maria Bartiromo, the fact is the public approves of Trump’s policies even more than they approve of him.

“If I say, ‘Do you approve with what the president is doing on immigration,’ 51% say ‘Yes.’ But when I say, ‘Do you favor or oppose some of the policies that he’s implementing,’ close to 70% say ‘Yes,’” Penn said.

He said that all suggests Trump’s popularity to move up to 55%, or even 60%, “which is where you want to get to.”