CNN Poll: Obama More Popular Than Ever As 84 Percent Approve Transition

A new CNN poll finds President Elect Barack Obama is more popular than ever with the bulk of Americans seeing the inauguration as chance for Americans to come together.

Are these polls examples of a fleeting honeymoon or a shift? Could they mean the United States is about to come full swing — heading into an era when the majority of its citizens again consider the words “negotiation,” “coalition” and “consensus” admirable goals, rather than wishy washy signs of political weakness? Is it a sign that the elusive American “center” is about to become more visible and dismissive of the politics of demonization on both sides? CNN reports:

A new national poll suggests that Barack Obama is more popular than ever, regardless of recent speed bumps on the road to transition.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Sunday morning also indicates that most Americans see Obama’s inauguration as a chance for the nation to come together.

Eighty-four percent of those questioned in the survey say they approve of how Barack Obama is handling his presidential transition. That is up two points from the middle of December and up five points from the beginning of December.

CNN notes that the approval comes despite some transition “missteps” that included the withdrawal of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson’s commerce secretary nomination, news that Treasury Secretary nominee Timothy Geithner’s failure to pay $34,000 in taxes, and some bipartisan rumblings about the naming of Leon Panetta as CIA director.

“If the public is blaming Obama for those missteps, it isn’t registering in his approval rating,” said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

“You know the country is in the middle of a honeymoon when six in 10 Republicans have a positive view of Obama.”

One interesting figure: 6 in 10 Americans think Obama’s inauguration will celebrate democracy. Four in 10 Americans felt that way about George Bush’s inauguration 8 years ago.