Not just in favorability either, but also -- in another first -- in job approval. As Donald Trump launched D-Day on the bureaucratic state, the rest of the country has grown more impressed with his energy and leadership, a new CBS News poll reveals. 

What's the secret? First off, as CBS pollster Anthony Salvato admits, it's largely due to the rarity of having fulfilled campaign promises. "He's doing, in the eyes of the public, what he said he would do in the campaign," Salvato told a glum Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation yesterday. But there's more to it than that:

🚨CBS Dem Activist Margaret Brennan — recently made into a meme by JD Vance — is pained to report that President Trump's approval rating is better than ever.

"He's doing, in the eyes of the public, what he said he'd do. 70% of people say he's doing what he promised."

GLORIOUS pic.twitter.com/LjNPviOUkZ

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 9, 2025

There's political value in that. In fact, 70 percent of people say he's doing what he promised. That's whether they approve of him or not. Now, there's another part of this that continues over from the campaign. There were words that he was described as being tough, being energetic.

And he still is today in big majority numbers. So, as people take a look in these first few weeks, there's been a lot of activity. They're getting that general sense of governance, and that's being reflected in these early numbers.

"General sense of governance"? Why, whatever do you mean, Anthony?

The implication here is pretty clear. America spent the last four years being governed by a cabal of shadowy Democrat operatives and Biden Inc execs while sticking a near-vegetative Joe Biden on stage occasionally to keep up pretenses. When the cover-up got blown, they tried to run one of the cabal in Biden's place who lacked any sort of leadership or competence. The electorate suddenly remembers what an energetic and engaged executive looks like, and they are responding to it as anyone who ever studied socioiogy or just worked in a dysfunctional workplace would recognize. 

This slide from the poll makes that point loud and clear:

So yes, the energy is part of the approval. But so too are the policies by which Donald Trump employs that energy. Here are the keys to Trump's elevated standing other than just the fact that he clearly is fully in charge of this White House:

• Israel-Hamas conflict: 54/46 approve
• Deporting illegal immigrants (or as phrased by CBS, "immigrants who are in the US illegally"): 59/41
• Sending troops to the southern border: 64/36

Other questions get asked in a different format, but again show the American public squarely on Trump's side. When asked whether Trump has spent too much, too little, or the right amount of time and attention on specific issues, the numbers reflect poorly on Democrats and the media:

• Cutting government spending: 68% right amount or not enough, 32% too much
• Ending DEI: 61% right amount or not enough, 39% too much
• Cutting US foreign aid programs: 61% right amount or not enough, 39% too much
• Deporting illegals: 57% right amount or not enough, 43% too much

If that doesn't offer the Democrats and media a cold-fish slap of reality, nothing will. They have spent the last three weeks shrieking about all of these issues, and now we see just how fringy their positions are to the electorate. 

This is one poll, of course, but CBS News' series has not been terribly friendly to Trump in the past. However, we have now seen a fairly good spread on job approval since Trump took office, and his latest RCP average has him at +3.6 points, inclusive of this CBS News poll. Of the eleven polls published since Trump's inauguration, only three put him in negative territory at all, two of those at -1. Four of them put Trump's job approval above 50%, rarified air for Trump, who struggled to even remain in the 40s at times in his first term.

Voters have seen enough now to appreciate real leadership and a return to reality. Small wonder Margaret Brennan seems so glum these days.