From winning office to leaving it, the popularity of most recent presidents tends to what?

From winning office to leaving it, the popularity of most recent presidents tends to what?

• A. decreased steadily
• B. decreased except at election time
• C. increased steadily
• D. increased except at election time

Answer: (B)

Presidential popularity usually falls over the course of a term, with a temporary lift around elections. After taking office, presidents face the realities of governing, and public approval tends to drift downward as policy struggles, economic issues, and crises accumulate. However, campaign periods often bring a rally effect that boosts ratings temporarily, so the overall pattern is a decline with a bump at election time. This is why the best description is that popularity decreases except at election time. The other patterns don’t match the common trend of an election-time uptick amid a gradual decline during the term.

Presidential popularity usually falls over the course of a term, with a temporary lift around elections. After taking office, presidents face the realities of governing, and public approval tends to drift downward as policy struggles, economic issues, and crises accumulate. However, campaign periods often bring a rally effect that boosts ratings temporarily, so the overall pattern is a decline with a bump at election time. This is why the best description is that popularity decreases except at election time. The other patterns don’t match the common trend of an election-time uptick amid a gradual decline during the term.