Bush’s poll numbers may have enjoyed a little bump after Saddam Hussein was captured, but I think it’s safe to say that bump is gone.
A new CBS/New York Times poll shows Bush’s approval rating slipping to 50%, the second lowest level of support his presidency. The same poll showed 45% saying they “disapprove” of Bush’s job performance, which is the highest its ever been for Bush. This is a pretty significant drop — the week before Christmas, Bush enjoyed a 60%-33% approval to disapproval numbers in another CBS/NYT poll.
This poll showed other encouraging numbers for those of us who can’t wait to vote against Bush in November:
* Less than half now approve of how he is handling the situation in Iraq. 51% say the war was not worth the costs.
* Two of the President’s just-launched initiatives have met with negative public assessment. Most Americans oppose temporary work permits for illegal immigrants and don’t think a permanent space station on the moon is worth it.
* Just 41% say the President has the same priorities on the issues they do.
* Only 30% say he is more interested in protecting the interests of ordinary Americans than in protecting the interests of large corporations. Just 39% — fewer than before — have confidence in his ability to make the right economic decisions.
* Overall, most Americans say things in the country are worse now than they were five years ago. 57% say things are worse now, while 21% say they’re better.
My favorite data was on the general election match-up. When poll respondents were asked to choose between a generic Democratic nominee and Bush, 43% backed the incumbent, while 45% support the Dem.
Sure, that’s very close, but it’s a positive development. The CBS/NYT poll from mid-December showed Bush ahead in the same question, 49% to 40%. More importantly, the conventional wisdom seems to be that Bush’s second term is almost assumed. The perception is that he’s a popular war-time leader with strong national support, while the Democrats lack a clear frontrunner who can beat him. This poll, among others, shows the conventional wisdom isn’t where the public is.
Let’s all say it together: Bush is vulnerable.