Back into the 30s

January 23, 2006

In October, national polls showed Bush’s approval rating tanking, reaching the mid- to high-30s, before rebounding a bit in December, crawling back above the 40% threshold.

According to the latest American Research Group poll, however, Bush has slipped back to where he was a few months ago. (thanks to my friend Darrell for the tip)

George W. Bush’s overall job approval rating has returned to its lowest point in Bush’s presidency as Americans again turn less optimistic about the national economy according to the latest survey from the American Research Group. Among all Americans, 36% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 58% disapprove. When it comes to Bush’s handling of the economy, 34% approve and 60% disapprove.

Among Americans registered to vote, 37% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 58% disapprove. When it comes to the way Bush is handling the economy, 35% of registered voters approve of the way Bush is handling the economy and 60% disapprove. […] Overall, 36% of Americans say that they approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president, 58% disapprove, and 6% are undecided.

This may be something of an outlier — it’s hard to say, there haven’t been many polls the last week or so — but if accurate, the ARG data suggests recent events (NSA controversy, Abramoff, Medicare, Iraq) have only pushed the president’s support lower.

Also of note, the ARG poll said 78% of self-identified Republicans approve of the way Bush is handling his job. Yes, it’s hard to understand what those 78% are thinking, but it will be discouraging news at the White House to learn that nearly one-in-four GOP voters no longer like what they’re seeing from Bush.

Consider this your morale boost for the day.

Back into the 30s

When I read the headline I thought the post was about how Bush policies are driving us toward an economic meltdown.

  • I feel better already!

    I’m always shocked when I learn that somewhere in the upper thirty percent of Americans are still Bushites (religiously devoted to the lying scofflaw who evaded military service and stole the presidency with the help of his dad’s friends).

    But then I reflect on the fact that the most-attended American sport is NASCAR, that most Americans spend ALL their free time watching the boob tube while becoming morbidly obese, that more Americans believe in angels and devils than believe in evolution, and so on.

  • we all know why 78% of republicans approve of Bush: because he’s a republican.

    and because they are ill-informed Fox viewers whose grasp on reality is somewhat tenuous.

    or do i repeat myself?

  • if you think the corruption and spying scandals will hurt the republicans in 2006, consider these two adjacent entries in the wapo’s watergate chronology:

    October 10, 1972
    FBI agents establish that the Watergate break-in stems from a massive campaign of political spying and sabotage conducted on behalf of the Nixon reelection effort, The Post reports.

    November 7, 1972
    Nixon is reelected in one of the largest landslides in American political history, taking more than 60 percent of the vote and crushing the Democratic nominee, Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/onpolitics/watergate/chronology.htm

  • “Yes, it’s hard to understand what those 78% are thinking”

    Think you’ve answered your own question – obviously they are not thinking for themselves, but allowing the party to tell them what to think.

  • amgry young man, there’s a lot to be discussed about the history of the 1972 election, but in this case, the most important thing to be discussed is that it’s the wrong analogy.

    if you want to look at an analogous election, look at 1974.

    but don’t expect the dems to do nearly so well as they did in ’74, for a variety of reasons.

  • CB re Repubs: “Yes, it’s hard to understand what those 78% are thinking”

    Hope you don’t mind if I re-punctuate your sentence. (Love ya, CB!)

    “Yes, it’s hard to understand… What??! Those 78% are thinking???”

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