With less than 100 days until the 2008 election, former republican nominee John McCain spent his time distancing himself from an administration with a dwindling approval rating, rising debt, and a war that seemed to never have a true end date. McCain hoped to sell the American people on the fact that his administration would vary greatly from President Bush. Now eight years later a different two term president is on his way out of the oval office, and hoping for a fellow democrat to take his place.

However, nominee Hillary Clinton has done anything but distance herself from the President. As the election nears, Obama has proven time and time again that he is a valuable asset on the campaign trail. Why exactly? President Obama offers an immeasurable advantage to the Democrats in November. Through his message that offers a much brighter picture of where America stands, Obama has been able to bring out Bernie Sanders supporters, swing moderates, and ensure most of the Obama coalition will turn out again in 2016.

The reason behind Obama’s success on the campaign trail: approval ratings. In fact Obama himself has seen a bump in popularity through this election season. The most recent CNN/ORC poll places his approval rating at 54% while the Gallup Poll sits at 51%; the highest since his inauguration. During the 2014 midterms, the President was unable to aid incumbents and other dems in close races.

Few presidential races have seen this amount of attachment to a sitting president. Evident by Obama’s primetime slot at the DNC convention. President Bush was relegated to Monday evening in 2008. The best example to compare this phenomenon to occurred during the tail end of the 1980s. Ronald Reagan held a 51% approval rating entering election season, allowing his vice president George H.W. Bush to win in November. Both Al Gore and John McCain, who were aligned with more unpopular sitting presidents worked to separate themselves rather than focus on past successes.

Clinton is in desperate need of Obama’s support as her and both Trump sit at record disapproval ratings for presidential nominees. Obama’s success in gaining and retaining backing from key demographics such as African Americans, Latinos, and young Americans, will aid Clinton in gaining their vote for November. Since the start of her candidacy, Clinton has been running a platform consistent with her policies in the Obama administration (her candidacy has been called Obama Part 2), therefore the president’s support is a major key for her success come November.

As for the President he has faced frequent criticism from Trump who has announced he will remove and rescind almost all of Obama’s major legislation, leaving most of the Presidents legacy in the hands of voters this November. The outcome: Obama is preparing to campaign for his successor more than any other president in recent history. What remains to be seen is just how successful his efforts will be. But as of now a steady rise in approval ratings and strong dislike for both nominees, makes Obama a major player in 2016’s outcome.