Obama in strong position at start of second term

As President Obama's second term is poised to begin, he stands in a stronger position with the public than he did during his first term, when he oversaw such sweeping regulatory efforts such as PPACA and Dodd-Frank. His job approval rating is 52 percent, the highest since the earliest months of his presidency. His personal favorability is at 59 percent, well rebounded from the low points of the campaign. He is seen as a strong leader, able to get things done, and who stands by what he believes. But perhaps more telling is that Obama's standing comes at the expense of the poor standing of the GOP, which has taken a reputational drubbing, with leaders such as House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell seen unfavorably by adults.