Foreign policy triumphs and crises rally Americans around a president, and the first polls since the raid that killed 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden show President Obama enjoying a surge in popularity. But history shows that such "bumps" aren't always long lasting. The chart below—adapted by National Journal from data compiled by Public Opinion Strategies, a firm that conducts polls for Republicans—takes a look at the trends. Worth noting: President George H.W. Bush, who enjoyed one of the biggest and longest jumps in popularity following Operation Desert Storm, ended up losing the next election.
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2012 Election Results
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