I’ve been waiting for President Trump’s approval rating to rise in the wake of the collapse of the Mueller investigation. That now seems to be happening, as Rasmussen Reports finds him at 53% approval, 45% disapproval, for a healthy +8 margin. It is also noteworthy that Trump’s “strong approval” now exceeds his “strong disapproval” by one point, something that rarely happened with Barack Obama.

Trump’s rising approval may also be related to voters getting a look at the Democratic presidential candidates. As voters hear the Democrats talk about reparations, the border and the Green New Deal, Trump probably looks better and better.

It is too early to tell whether Trump’s recent bounce is the beginning of a long-term trend or a temporary blip. I’m hoping for the former.