Last week, none of the major polling outfits produced national data. Since Tuesday, we’ve had five<\/i>. Here’s a recap of what we’ve learned about public opinion this week, with the most recent polls first.<\/p>\n
* Gallup<\/b><\/a> — Bush’s job-approval rating is 38%, the second lowest of his presidency in a Gallup poll. The proportion who strongly approve of him has fallen to 20%, the lowest ever. The proportion that strongly disapproves has risen to 44%, the highest ever. The president’s approval rating on terrorism is 47%, down 7 points in a month and a record low. Three of four Americans surveyed say they are following the Dubai Ports World story closely. Overall, they oppose the deal by a nearly 4-to-1 ratio, 66%-17%. Four in 10 call the proposed sale “a major threat” to U.S. security.<\/p>\n * Fox News<\/b><\/a> — Bush’s job-approval rating is 39%, the second lowest of his presidency in a Fox News poll. Opposition to the UAE ports deal stands at 69%. By a 14-point margin, voters think it would be better for the country if Democrats win control of Congress in this year’s election, up from an 8-point edge in early February and 11 points in January.<\/p>\n * LA Times\/Bloomberg<\/b><\/a> — Bush’s approval rating fell to 38%, the lowest level recorded for him in an LAT poll. The president also confronts an intensity gap: The percentage of Americans who said they strongly disapproved of his performance on a wide range of issues greatly exceeded the share who strongly approved. By a greater than 3-1 margin, Americans oppose the Dubai Ports World deal.<\/p>\n * Quinnipiac<\/b><\/a> — Only 36% of voters approve of the job Bush is doing, the lowest of his presidency in a Quinnipiac poll. By a 10-point margin, 52% to 42%, Americans disapprove of the way Bush is handling terrorism. A 55% majority believe the president should get a court order before conducting wiretaps, which is at odds with the administration’s policy.<\/p>\n