WASHINGTON — If only we had Hillary!
Two-thirds of Americans rate Hillary Clinton favorably, and an astonishing one-third say the nation would be better off now if she had been elected president instead of Barack Obama, a new poll reveals.
The Bloomberg Poll found that the Secretary of State is the most popular figure on the national political landscape.
Clinton’s approval rating has climbed to an impressive 64 percent, far ahead of a dozen pols considered in the Bloomberg survey. Her unfavorability rating, which spiked during her brutal primary challenge against then-Sen. Obama, is down to 31 percent.
“She used to be the most reviled woman in American politics … She has become a popular if not beloved figure,” said Ann Selzer, who conducted the poll.
“She’s not the one in office,” she continued. “You can kind of dream what a Clinton presidency would be like, and there’s also a disappointment with some people that Obama has not delivered on what they saw as a promise.”
Even among Tea Party voters, 44 percent said the nation would be better with Clinton in the White House, even though 59 percent had an unfavorable opinion of her.
President Obama is viewed favorably or very favorably by 50 percent, higher than the mid-40s he scores in many other surveys. Nearly as many, 47 percent, hold an unfavorable view of him.
Mitt Romney gets a 42 percent favorability rating, while Rick Perry gets 32 percent.
House Speaker John Boehner has a 33 percent rating.
The Clinton love — coupled with 72 percent who think the country is on the wrong track — points to buyer’s remorse among some Democrats.
Obama himself addressed the jitters about his prospects at a fund-raiser in DC Thursday.
“Now, I know that, over the last couple of months, there have been Democrats who voiced concerns and nervousness about … aren’t these just huge headwinds in terms of your re-election?” Obama said.
“Here’s one thing I know for certain: The odds of me being re-elected are much higher than the odds of me being elected in the first place.”
Obama’s political guru, David Axelrod, released a memo stressing that Obama is competing well against GOP candidates in battleground states.
Hillary leads the pack on favorability:
Hillary Clinton: 64%
Barack Obama: 50%
Mitt Romney: 42%
Rick Perry: 32%
Sarah Palin: 26%
Ron Paul: 32%
Michele Bachmann: 28%
John Boehner: 33%
Source: Bloomberg National Poll conducted Sept. 9-12