All‑adult approval as legitimacy signal

Rather than privileging likely‑voter polls, averaging all‑adult approval polls offers a measure of a president's broader public legitimacy (who he is in the eyes of the country as a whole), not just his standing among those most likely to vote. Nate Silver's Silver Bulletin explicitly uses all‑adult versions when multiple survey versions exist and highlights how that choice changes the topline. — Framing presidential popularity around all adults (not just likely voters) reframes debates about legitimacy, governing mandate, and media narratives — influencing how pundits, parties and policymakers interpret poll swings.