Washington D.C. – President Ronald Reagan's public approval ratings experienced a significant decline in 1982, reaching a low of 35% by January 1983, a period marked by a severe economic recession. This downturn in public sentiment is widely documented by historical polling data, reflecting the challenges faced by his administration during the early 1980s.
The economic climate of 1982 saw high unemployment and a struggling economy, which directly impacted public perception of the president's performance. Gallup polls and other surveys from the time indicate that a majority of Americans were concerned about the direction of the economy and the effectiveness of "Reaganomics" in improving their financial situations. This period represented a significant dip from his initial approval ratings, which had surged following the 1981 assassination attempt.
A tweet from Dinesh D'Souza referenced this period, stating, > "Informed in 1982 that his poll ratings had plummeted, Reagan once quipped, 'I think it's time for me to be shot again.'" While historical records confirm Reagan's poll ratings did indeed plummet in 1982, extensive searches for the specific quote, "I think it's time for me to be shot again," in direct response to his 1982 approval numbers have not yielded verifiable sources. Reagan was known for his wit and humor, especially following the 1981 assassination attempt, where he famously quipped, "I hope you're all Republicans" to his surgeons.
His approval ratings eventually rebounded as the economy improved, leading to his landslide re-election in 1984. However, the early years of his presidency, particularly 1982, stand out as a challenging time for public support, underscoring the impact of economic conditions on presidential popularity.
