Views of Bush more positive than negative for first time since 2005 
 
 PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans' views of former president George W. Bush have improved, with 49% now viewing him favorably and 46% unfavorably. That is the first time since 2005 that opinions of him have been more positive than negative. 
 
 Bush has maintained a fairly low profile in the four years since he left office. However, he returned to the public eye this year with the April opening of his presidential library at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. 
 
 Bush left office with 40% viewing him favorably and 59% unfavorably in January 2009. That worsened to 35% favorable and 63% unfavorable in March 2009, but his favorable rating recovered to the mid-40% range by 2010. 
 
 The June 1-4 poll shows further improvement in Americans' ratings of Bush, which had not been more positive than negative since April 2005. Prior to then, Americans had always viewed Bush more favorably than unfavorably, including an 87% favorable rating in November 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. That is one percentage point below the all-time high Gallup has measured for any public figure, shared by Colin Powell (2002) and Tiger Woods (2000). 
 
 Bush's lowest favorable rating was 32% in April 2008, as the economy was in recession and gas prices were headed toward record highs in the U.S. Also at the time, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were engaged in a spirited campaign to become the Democratic nominee who would run for president to succeed Bush. 
 
 Americans Generally Kind to Ex-Presidents 
 
 The recovery in Bush's image is not unexpected, given that Americans generally view former presidents positively. Gallup's favorable ratings for Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton all exceeded 60% when last measured. 
 
 George W. Bush's lower rating may be due to his shorter time as an ex-president. For example, Clinton's favorable rating, which dropped as low as 39% in the months after he left office, recovered to 56% roughly four years later -- still better than George W. Bush's current 49%, but not as positive as Clinton's more recent ratings. Gallup did not measure favorable ratings in the current format for presidents prior to 1992. Its first post-presidency measure for the elder George Bush came eight years after he left office. 
 
 Bush More Popular Among All Party Groups Since 2009 
 
 George W. Bush's favorable rating is more positive now among all party groups than it was in March 2009, when it dipped to 35% overall. Currently, 84% of Republicans, 46% of independents, and 24% of Democrats have a favorable view of Bush, each up more than 10 points since 2009. However, the more recent improvement in his ratings, a five-point overall uptick since November 2010, has been more apparent among Democrats, whose rating has increased by 10 points since then. 
 
 Opinions of Bush still show a high degree of party polarization, with a 60-point gap in his favorable ratings from Republicans versus Democrats. Party polarization marked Bush's ratings while he was in office as well. His job approval ratings were the most polarized for a president prior to Barack Obama. 
 
 Implications 
 
 Americans' opinions of George W. Bush have improved with the passage of time, and now the public's ratings of the former president tilt positive. Bush left office with decidedly negative favorability ratings as well as approval ratings, so the recovery in his image is notable. 
 
 The improvement is not unexpected, though, given Americans' generally positive views of former presidents, and it would not be out of the question for Bush's image to continue to improve in future years. But Bush's image improved more from 2009 to 2010 than it has in the past three years, even with a recent round of positive publicity from the opening of his presidential library, so that is not a guarantee he will see the 60%+ favorable ratings enjoyed by other former presidents anytime soon. 

 The George Bush Presidential Library Foundation will celebrate the 89th Birthday of its' namesake, George Bush, 41st President of the United States, by wearing exuberant socks this Wednesday, June 12. The Foundation encourages others to join us in this celebration of the President's 89th Birthday and post photos of your socks online. 
 
 President Bush has recently been recognized for his penchant for wearing bright socks. At the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center in April, for example, he wore bright pink socks with a hint of blue. In 2012 he told his granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager, that he "likes a good sock." Join us in wishing President Bush a Happy Birthday by wearing your most colorful or outlandish socks. All are invited to submit a photo wearing crazy socks to share in the birthday festivities by: 
 
 Post to the George Bush Facebook page: www.facebook.com/georgebush41 
 
 - Tweet to the George Bush Foundation twitter account: twitter.com/GB41Foundation Hash tag #41s89th 
 
 Hash tag #41s89th Email bushfoundation@georgebushfoundation.org 
 
 Select birthday sock photos will be chosen and given to President Bush for his 89th birthday. Help us celebrate the 89th birthday of George Bush, 41st President of the United States. 
 
 To view more photos from the "Birthday Socks for President Bush" Flickr, click here. 
 
 

 The folks in Aggieland are rolling up their sleeves and pulling on their socks in preparation for the 89th birthday of former President George H.W. Bush. 
 
 The George Bush Presidential Foundation, taking note of the 41st president’s penchant for colorful socks, is challenging everyone to don their most exuberant pair and post a picture of their footwear to social media. The best sock offering will be presented to Bush as a birthday gift. 
 
 The senior Bush most recently was spotted — who could miss it — wearing bright pink socks at the dedication of his son’s presidential center in April. In 2012 he told his granddaughter, Jenna Bush Hager, that he “likes a good sock.” 
 
 For those wishing to post their socks, you can go to the the George Bush Facebook page or Tweet to the George Bush Foundation twitter account and use the hash tag #41s89th. Or, for more information, visit go to http://www.georgebushfoundation.org/socks. 
 
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– It's a milestone any former president would love: For the first time since 2005, more Americans approve of George W. Bush than disapprove, reports Gallup. He now stands at 49-46—up 9 in the "view favorably" category and down 13 in "view unfavorably" since he left office in 2009. (He still registers only a 24% favorable rating among Democrats, 60 points below his score among Republicans.) All the recent former presidents are at 60% favorable or above, including Bush senior at 62%. He turns 89 tomorrow, incidentally, and his foundation wants everyone to wear brights socks (and photograph them) to mark the occasion, notes the Dallas Morning News. (It's his signature style now.)