What do you know, Bush’s national support can get worse.
The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, released Wednesday night, finds that all five of Bush’s job approval ratings — on overall job performance, the economy, foreign policy, terrorism and Iraq — are at all-time lows in the survey. In addition, the CIA leak scandal seems to be taking a toll on the administration, with nearly 80 percent believing the indictment of Vice President Cheney’s former chief of staff, Lewis “Scooter” Libby, is a serious matter, and with Bush experiencing a 17-point drop since January in those who see him as honest and straightforward. […]
According to the poll, Bush’s approval rating stands at an all-time low of 38 percent, a one-point decline since October; in fact, this is the third consecutive NBC/Journal survey showing Bush at an all-time low on his job approval. And it doesn’t stop there: Approval for his handling of the economy (34 percent), foreign policy (35 percent), terrorism (39 percent), and Iraq (32 percent) have all hit rock bottom.
The NBC/Wall Street Journal poll is not just bad for Bush in specific, but also for Republicans in general.
Amid their failure Tuesday to take back governor’s seats in either Virginia or New Jersey, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll shows that Republicans have lost the upper hand on a series of issues they’ve counted on to preserve their congressional majorities in 2006.
Among other findings, the poll indicates that voters no longer prefer Republicans to Democrats on handling taxes, cutting government spending, dealing with immigration and directing foreign policy.
Meanwhile, Democrats have restored their earlier edges on subjects such as education and Social Security, on which Mr. Bush has sought to make inroads among targeted constituencies.
In other words, as of now, Americans no longer approve of Bush on issues such as honesty and terrorism, and they no longer back Republicans on issues such as taxes or the size of government. The pillars of Republican support are all but gone.
And just to twist the knife a little, here’s the kicker that’ll cause Ken Mehlman to reach for his Maalox this morning: when asked about the 2006 election, Americans want Democrats to take control of Congress by a margin of 48% to 37%. The 11-point gap is the widest enjoyed by either party on that question since the poll began asking it in 1994.
Consider this your morale boost of the day.