george bush 41's was 55% but dropping, ronald reagan's was 53% and rising, he won reelection. jimmy carter's approval rating was 40% and rising, although he got a spike in popularity when americans were taken hostage in iran. by november of 1980, his approval rating was back in the 30s and he, of course, lost reelection. richard nixon's approval rating was 49% and rising, he won reelection. read the tea leaves. what do you see there? >> not only is obama's approval rating closest to jimmy carter's which republicans are ever fond of pointing out because they want him to repeat that trajectory. carter, of course, was a one-term president. but i think one of the most telling things was that you mentioned an episode far outside of carter's control which greatly affected his reelection chances, and that was the taking of hostages in iran. we have no idea what is going to happen with the euro and the european union. >> nothing good, though.