When America Rallied: Bush's 90% Surge

George W. Bush holds the highest presidential approval rating ever recorded.

Ninety percent.

That number is almost unthinkable in today's political climate, where polarization is the norm and even modest bipartisan support is rare.

The date? Mid-September 2001. Just days after the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. Americans were reeling, scared, and angry. And in that moment of crisis, they looked to the President.

On September 10th, 2001, Bush's approval rating stood at 51%. It was middling. Typical for a President eight months into his first term.

Then came September 11th.

Four coordinated attacks. Nearly 3,000 people killed. The twin towers gone. The Pentagon hit. The entire country thrown into shock.

In the immediate aftermath, Bush's approval rating surged. By September 15th, Gallup had him at 85%. A few days later, he hit the peak: 90%.

That's not just high - it's the highest number ever recorded by Gallup for a sitting President. No one before or since has come close.

Why the spike?

It's called the "rally-'round-the-flag effect." When a nation is attacked or under threat, people tend to put politics aside and back their leader. It's a show of unity. A survival instinct. Americans weren't thinking about party lines. They wanted strength. Stability. Leadership.

Bush gave them that - at least in that moment. His bullhorn speech at Ground Zero, standing with firefighters and first responders, became an iconic image. He was clear. He was resolute. For millions of Americans, he was exactly what they needed to see.

But like all spikes, it was temporary.

As the months passed and the U.S. moved into prolonged conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the unity faded. The approval rating came down. Criticism grew. The 90% number became a historical artifact.

Still, it's worth remembering just how rare that kind of approval is.

Harry Truman came close - 87% in May 1945, right after the defeat of Nazi Germany. Franklin D. Roosevelt climbed to 84% in early 1942, just weeks after Pearl Harbor. John F. Kennedy? 82% in the spring of 1961, still in his honeymoon phase.

Those are elite numbers.

But Bush's 90% stands above them all.

It wasn't about policy or party. It was about a country in crisis, uniting behind the person in charge.

And in that moment, for that brief window in American history, George W. Bush was the most supported President the country had ever seen.

Filed under: General Knowledge