Will Obama's approval ratings ever be in the 60's again?

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

No.

The only chance would be if he experienced a terrorist attack like 9/11 where the rally effect could take hold, as the country rallies around the leader in a disaster. However, I doubt this effect would happen in this current political environment - he's been in office for 2 years now, so his administration would get at least some blame for the attack, and his reaction would be probably incompetent too, as he's not a leader in any sense of the word.

He'll be lucky to win re-election, although that is still in his grasp. His chance of regaining 60%+ approval rating has gone, though.

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

Very doubtful, barring a major terrorist attack.  Obama has been set up (by Bush and Congress) to fail.

Fixed.

No.

Not really.

If people got a sense he was competent and trying, I think his approval ratings would be higher.

Instead, he focused on the Democratic agenda (healthcare reform) in place of going gung-ho on the economy and jobs. He's looked weak regarding the botched terrorist attacks (yes, that's plural) and his appeasement of dictators like those in Iran and his lack of determination regarding Russian relations, along with his wishy-washy comments and stances on the oil spill, Fort Hood, and the Mosque. He gets involved in local issues that he has no place in (Gates, Mosque, etc). And he continues with petty attacks on the GOP, Fox News, etc which looks bad after he campaigned as a different politician, and one that would be transparent.

Essentially, Mr. Obama comes across as incompetent, weak, misguided, and lacks the ability to understand his electorate. All these problems are Obama's making. So while not helped by the current political climate of the past few years, he has only exacerbated it for himself by his policies, actions, and attitude.

Obama is not the victim, the US citizens are.

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

60%+ approval? Everything would have to go right, and that just isn't going to happen.

I figure that 40% of the public is going to disapprove of him no matter how successful he is with the economy, if his health care reform begins to look good, and he successfully extricates the US from Afghanistan.  Nobody is going to do something that causes Americans to unite behind this President; it has been tried and it has proved an epic failure (9/11). That President Obama might handle an international crisis more competently than his predecessor does not mean that he will get the chance to meet such a crisis to his political advantage.  

I can't think of any President who has been able to sustain an approval rating in the 60's over a long time, and I can't imagine any President getting such an approval rating after his approval ratings have dipped into the low 40s. No interest hostile to the US is going to do anything suicidal. Does anyone envy al-Qaeda these days?  

Where it counts -- I can't see any President winning more than 61% against anyone because none has yet. President Obama has stepped on too many toes, and one doesn't challenge entrenched interests without causing those interests to set up permanent 'hate squads'. The Tea Party Movement isn't going away.

Are you serious? George W. Bush had the highest ever rating after 9/11, thus showing the rally effect to be a successful theory, and he also maintained such a high rating for several years.  

George W. Bush > 60% from Sept 14, 2001 (86%) to ~Aug 25, 2003 (59%) --> He was flucuating between upper 50s and low 60s for the early part of 2003, but didn't fall below 60%. on a consistent basis until August 2003. 2 years is a long time to be above 60% (http://www.gallup.com/poll/116500/presidential-approval-ratings-george-bush.aspx) Check your facts next time, buddy.

Additionally, Obama's shown not to be a leader. He would handle a crisis such a 9/11 with less competence than his predecessor, not more!

[Donald Trump’s Toupée]

Clinton moved to the center. Obama is too egotistical for such a move. Yes, the climate is bad, but he still has himself to blame, too.

The fact that the Democrats have thrown away their chance within 2 years still dumbfounds me. While I support Bush, the fact is that the Democrats had the chance to dominate for at least a decade coming off of his unpopular reign. The libs really wasted their chance, it's amazing.

Sadly, I fear the GOP will waste their chance between Nov 2010 and 2012, too. But we will see.