Today marks President Barack Obama's 100th day in office since his inauguration.
And on this day, the president finally has his full 15-member Cabinet of top advisers in place.
Today marks President Barack Obama's 100th day in office since his inauguration.
And on this day, the president finally has his full 15-member Cabinet of top advisers in place.
The last one, Kathleen Sebelius, took office late Tuesday after being confirmed by the Senate as Health and Human Services secretary. The two-term Kansas governor was approved, 65-31.
According to the latest NBC News/WSJ poll, Obama enjoys higher scores from the public than his most recent predecessors did at similar points in their presidencies.
Over 60 percent say they approve of Obama's job, nearly two-thirds view him favorably, and the majority believe he has gotten off to a solid start during his first three months as president.
Additionally, the poll suggests that Americans find Obama to be likeable. Over 80 percent say they personally like Obama, even if they don’t agree with all of his policies. And respondents give him high scores on his personality, demeanor and leadership qualities.
Obama's Democratic allies in Congress are aiming to give him a gift to cap his 100th day in office: passage of a congressional budget plan that endorses much of his ambitious agenda, especially his plan to reform the U.S. health care system.
While a welcome victory, congressional passage of the budget would be only a first, relatively easy step toward Obama's goal of providing health care coverage for all Americans.
Next would come arduous negotiations among lawmakers, the Obama administration and a vast array of interest groups.
With the economy in recession and the bailout of the financial sector costing hundreds of billions of dollars, deficits would rocket to $1.7 trillion for the ongoing budget year, dipping to a still-astonishing $1.2 trillion in 2010.
The budget measure is a nonbinding outline for follow-up tax and spending legislation. It is Congress' response to Obama's $3.6 trillion budget plan released in February.
As Obama continues ahead with his plans, Americans anxiously await to see what kinds of changes he will bring about in the next 100 days, and for the rest of his term as president.
Obama is conducting a town hall meeting in Arnold, Missouri Wednesday morning and will have a press conference in prime time Wednesday night back at the White House.
Keep track of what Obama has been doing since taking office:
Day 99: White House Plans Aid For Second Mortgages (Apr. 28)
Day 98: Clinton: US Moving Quickly to Address Global Warming (Apr. 27)
Day 97: White House to Detail Government Response to Swine Flu (Apr. 26)
Vice President Joe Biden said he worries about his son who is serving in Iraq, but tries to not look at the ongoing war solely as a father. Obama called Biden "very valuable" during a profile that aired on CBS News' "60 Minutes." "You know, Joe's not afraid to tell me what he thinks," Obama said. "And that's exactly what I need, and exactly what I want."
Day 96: Obama Asks for Ideas on Curbing Federal Spending (Apr. 25)
Day 95: Obama Bipartisanship Push has Mixed Success (Apr. 24)
Day 94: Credit Card Execs: Fed Rules Will Protect Consumers (Apr. 23)
Day 93: Crisis Unprecedented in Modern Times: Geithner (Apr. 22)
Day 92: Obama Meets Jordan's King Abdullah (Apr. 21)
Day 91: US May Not Need More TARP Funds to Shore Up Banks (Apr. 20)
Day 90: Obama Gets Friendly With Neighbors (Apr. 19)
Day 89: Obama Pledges to Cut Dozens of Wasteful Programs (Apr. 18)
Day 88: White House To Meet with Credit Card Execs. (Apr. 17)
Day 87: Results of Stress Tests To Start Emerging (Apr. 16)
Day 86: Tax Day: President Vows to Simplify US Tax Code (Apr. 15)
Day 85: Economy Isn't 'Out of the Woods' (Apr. 14)
Day 84: Allison to Head TARP, Obama Eases Travel Limit to Cuba (Apr. 13)
Day 83: Obamas Celebrate Easter (Apr. 12)
Day 82: (Apr. 11)
Day 80: Feds to Buy 17,600 Fuel-Efficient Cars (Apr. 9)
Day 79: Obama Returns Home (Apr. 8)
Day 78: Obama Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq (Apr. 7)
Day 77: Obama Visits Turkey (Apr. 6)
Day 76: EU and US Join Forces (Apr. 5)
Day 75: Financial Industry Paid Millions to Obama Aide (Apr. 4)
Day 74: Congress Approves Budget Plans (Apr. 3)
Day 73: McCain Blasts Obama's Plan and the G20 Goes On... (Apr. 2)
Day 72: Obama Plays Down G20 Splits (Apr. 1)
Day 71: Obama's Auto Stance May Include Bankruptcy (Mar. 31)
Day 70: GM, Chrysler Get Ultimatum From Obama on Turnaround (Mar. 30)
Day 68: Obama Announces 3 Treasury Dept. Nominees (Mar. 28)
Day 67: Overhaul of Financial Markets Facing a Bumpy Road (Mar. 27)
Day 66: US Planning Expansion Of Financial Market Oversight (Mar. 26)
Obama is holding a town hall meeting—online. Obama is taking questions in the East Room from the general public. The questions are submitted via the Internet and in person, as part of a political strategy to engage Americans directly.
Day 65: Geithner: Economic Deterioration Starting to Slow (Mar. 25)
Day 64: Obama Sees 'Signs of Progress' on Crisis (Mar. 24)
Day 63: Geithner: New Plan Will Help Credit Flow (Mar. 23)
Day 62: Economy to Rebound Within a Year? (Mar. 22)
Day 61: Ready to Unveil a Toxic Asset Plan (Mar. 21)
Day 60: Reaching Out to Iran & a "Tonight Show" Appearance (Mar. 20)
Day 59: Schwarzenegger Helps Obama (Mar. 19)
Day 58: Obama Officials Sought to Keep AIG Bonuses (Mar. 18)
Day 57: Strict Limits on AIG? (Mar. 17)
Day 56: Obama Gives Boost To Small Businesses and attacks AIG Bonuses (Mar. 16)
Day 53: Obama Speaks To Business Roundtable about Banks (Mar. 15)
Day 52: Geithner: Spending Hikes are Short-Term (Mar. 12)
Day 51: Obama Targets 'Earmarks' in New Spending Bill (Mar. 11)
Day 50: The Halfway Point (Mar. 10)
In his first 50 days, Obama has moved at a lightning pace, passing a $787 billion economic stimulus plan in his first three weeks, announcing financial rescue and housing plans, disclosing a $3.55 trillion budget, kick starting discussions on health care reform, and releasing a withdrawal plan from Iraq and a boost in troop numbers in Afghanistan.
He has also signed orders to close the Guantanamo Bay prison, tighten ethics rules for Executive Branch employees, raise fuel efficiency standards and lift the restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
At the same time, there have also been problems with three Cabinet nominees who withdrew, the criticism that Obama is turning his back on his proposal for more bipartisanship and his calls for fewer earmarks, and the imminent fights over his budget blueprint and health care.
But despite the ups and downs during the first 50 days, experts argue that Obama seems to be ahead of the curve in terms of efficiency compared to some of his predecessors.
Obama’s 60 percent approval rating in the most recent NBC/WSJ poll also implies that many Americans remain satisfied with the president so far.
Day 49: Obama OKs Stem Cell Research (Mar. 9)
Day 48: More Appointed to Treasury Department (Mar. 8)
Day 47: Discovering Opportunity in the Crisis (Mar. 7)
Day 46: Obama Touts Economic Gains (Mar. 6)
Day 45: Obama Team Working 'Around the Clock' (Mar. 5)
Day 44: New Housing Plan Launched (Mar. 4)
Day 43: Stimulus Package Looking Hopeful? (Mar. 3)
Day 42: Health Reform Positions Nominated (Mar. 2)
Day 40: Big Budget Fight Ahead (Feb. 28)
Day 39: Obama's Tax Breaks Applauded (Feb. 27)
Day 38: Additional $250 Billion Needed to Help Financial System? (Feb. 26)
Day 37: Obama Lays Out Reform Plans, House Approves $410 Billion Legislation (Feb. 25)
Day 36: Obama's Speech & A New Commerce Secretary (Feb. 24)
Day 35: Obama's Economic Summit (Feb. 23)
Day 34: Obama to Set Big Goals in First Budget (Feb. 22)
Day 33: Obama Begins Tax Cuts (Feb. 21)
Day 32: Obama's Adviser: Crisis May be Worse than Depression (Feb. 20)
Day 30: Obama Unveils $275 Billion Housing Plan (Feb. 18)
Day 29: Stimulus Signed into Law (Feb. 17)
Day 28: White House Wants Changes in Exec. Pay Rules (Feb. 16)
Day 26: Your Weekly Address (Feb. 14)
Day 25: House Approves Stimulus Package (Feb. 13)
Day 24: Key Stimulus Dispute Settled...Sen. Gregg Withdraws (Feb. 12)
Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire abruptly withdrew his nomination as commerce secretary, citing "irresolvable conflicts" with Obama's handling of the economic stimulus and 2010 census. (Full Story)
Day 23: Stimulus Pact Reached (Feb. 11)
Day 22: A New Bank Bailout Plan (Feb. 10)
Day 21: Stimulus Bill Passes Crucial Senate Test (Feb. 9)
Day 20: Stimulus Package This Week? (Feb. 8)
Day 19: Obama Demands Speed on Stimulus (Feb. 7)
Day 18: Strengthening the Economic Stimulus Plan (Feb. 6)
Day 17: Stimulus Bill Debate Continues (Feb. 5)
Day 16: Obama Imposes New Pay Rule (Feb. 4)
Day 15: Withdrawals, Withdrawals... But the Show Goes On (Feb. 3)
Day 14: Obama Targets CEO Pay (Feb. 2)
Day 13: Obama's Bill 'Wastes a Ton of Money': Sen. Kyl (Feb. 1)
Day 12: Your Weekly Address (Jan. 31)
Day 11: Obama Administration Meets with Wall Street Execs. (Jan. 30)
Day 10: Obama: Wall Street Bonuses are 'Outrageous' (Jan. 29)
Day 9: Stimulus Package Passes Vote in House (Jan. 28)
Russia has halted a plan to retaliate against a proposed U.S. missile defense shield by stationing its own missiles near Europe's borders. The suspension of plans, if confirmed, would show Russia is extending an olive branch to Obama after rocky relations under his predecessor. (Full Story)
Day 8: The Stimulus Package Plan Moves Forward (Jan. 27)
Day 7: Obama's New Climate Policies (Jan. 26)
Day 5: Your Weekly Address (Jan. 24)
Day 4: Stimulus Package by President's Day? (Jan. 23)
Auto industry supporters in Congress asked Obama to support another $25 billion in federal loans to help the industry make more fuel efficient cars, seeking over $4 billion in grants and loan guarantees. The White House said Obama and his advisers will evaluate the needs of automakers after reviewing their viability plans in mid-February. (Full Story)
Day 3: House Considers Obama’s Plan (Jan. 22)
Day 2: Back to Business (Jan. 21)
Day 1: Inauguration Day (Jan. 20)