George W. Bush returned to the spotlight last week for the dedication of his presidential library, an event that has triggered fresh public debate about his eight fateful years in office. But he has re-emerged with a better public image than when he left Washington more than four years ago.
Since then, Bush has absented himself from both policy disputes and political battles. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll suggests that the passage of time and Bush's relative invisibility have been beneficial to a chief executive who left office surrounded by controversy.
Days before his second term ended in 2009, Bush's approval rating among all adults was 33 percent positive and 66 percent negative. The new poll found 47 percent saying they approve and 50 percent saying they disapprove. Among registered voters, his approval rating today is equal to President Barack Obama's, at 47 percent, according to the latest Post-ABC surveys.