As Bush library opening puts his presidency back in the spotlight, his approval rating is up

[alp227]

Source: Washington Post

George W. Bush will return to the spotlight this week for the dedication of his presidential library, an event likely to trigger fresh public debate about his eight fateful years in office. But he reemerges with a better public image than when he left Washington more than four years ago.

Since then, Bush has absented himself from both policy disputes and political battles. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll suggests that the passage of time and Bush’s relative invisibility have been beneficial to a chief executive who left office surrounded by controversy.

Days before his second term ended in 2009, Bush’s approval rating among all adults was 33 percent positive and 66 percent negative. The new poll found 47 percent saying they approve and 50 percent saying they disapprove. Among registered voters, his approval rating today is equal to President Obama’s, at 47 percent, according to the latest Post-ABC surveys.

Majorities said they still dis­approve of Bush’s performance on the Iraq war and the economy, but his economic approval numbers nearly doubled between December 2008 and today, from 24 percent to 43 percent, with 53 percent disapproving. Iraq remains the most troublesome part of his legacy. Today, 57 percent say they disapprove of his decision to invade, though that is down from 65 percent in the spring of 2008, the last time the question was asked.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bush-library-opening-puts-his-presidency-back-in-the-spotlight/2013/04/22/bb7e6b9c-ab65-11e2-a8b9-2a63d75b5459_singlePage.html

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full results of poll

[MrSlayer]

1. How quickly they forget.

He should be in prison along with his entire cabinet.

[joshdawg]

18. Yes!

Gitmo should be his address instead of Dallas.

[struggle4progress]

2. Thems sure be one ugly building

[ellisonz]

10. That's Pappy Bush's Library.

This is Shrub's: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022722928

[William Seger]

32. Jeez, "library" wasn't enough, he has an "institute"?

Do they have the WMDs in the "museum"? An honest "George Bush Museum" should at least have a waterboard and a drone, but I'm gonna bet this one doesn't.

[struggle4progress]

38. thanx. that wuz careless o'me

[xtraxritical]

3. Do taxpayers fund this bs?

[Newest Reality]

4. So,

no chance of "Worst President Ever!" in Latin on on granite facade over the door, huh? I would settle for "Mission Accomplished!" for the humor and irony of it.

A Hall of Bushisms, perhaps?

Will the puppy paintings and shower scene be on display?

I think a shoe throwing exhibit would be exciting. Just stick a big bust of Dubya in the center of a room and line the floor with shoes for people to throw at it. Yipee!

Where will they keep the Axis of Evil?

[Deny and Shred]

34. Outstanding. The shoe throwing exhibit would be a big draw

In addition to dozens of copies of My Pet Goat, it ought to include the memo entitled Bin Laden determined to attack within US, The Bibee memo (among many others), A crumpled up copy of the Geneva Conventions, W's personal copy of the Constitution with many cross-outs, his complete collection of Signing Statements, Paulson's page & a half request for $700 billion bank bailout, the Patriot Act, as well as some cleared brush, a Diebold Machine, a butterfly ballot, 150,000 uncounted Forida ballots, ample hanging chads, and an Abu Graib slideshow.

The snack bar can serve Freedom Fries and pretzels.

Seriously, who were they polling?

[Newest Reality]

35. Wow!

The place sounds like a lot of fun in our vision. A national angst relief amusement park, ey? You had some great additions.

I would go!

That's their mistake because it would have a big draw if DU could design it ... huge! I mean long lines down the street.

How about Cheney puppet show's on Sunday? Maybe a giant, glowing Rove brain regurgitating defamatory posters from the Texas gubernatorial race.

Don't forget to have some delicious yellow cake, some chokin' good bourbon-falvored pretzels and a cup of hot decider at the PNAC Snack Bar.

[Deny and Shred]

42. National Angst Relief Amusement Park - brilliant

I think it would put Disney out of business.

Instead of Mickey and Goofy, they can have big furry mascot-like versions of Wolfie, Rummy, Ashcroft, Condi & the rest of the gang walking around shaking hands, a 9th Ward water park, Humvee races while avoiding the IEDs, a lame roller coaster called "National Debt" because it only goes up, a carnival game where you shoot your friends in the face, there are oh so many possibilities.

[Newest Reality]

43. That was great!

Good ideas and I haven't had so much amusement in a while!

[Deny and Shred]

48. Agreed

I needed that. I felt better all day. Just imagining the W park was cathartic in a way. Thanks.

Does anyone really think the W library will be a beacon of enlightenment?

One thing is for sure, there will never be a shortage of flags out front.

Peace

[defacto7]

5. Why?

n/t

[olddots]

6. did Murdoch buy the Washington Post

where do they do these polls ?????? and why would they do this poll ??

[lexw]

7. Yup.

I was shocked when one of my used-to-be-liberal friends, forwarded me an email promoting Rand Paul.
(:O

[olddad56]

8. A guy that can't even read gets his own library? Maybe it is full of coloring books

[calimary]

9. Not with me!

Not EVER!!!

[LeftInTX]

11. ............

I guess since no one has seen him, they forgot all about him.

[PoliticAverse]

12. I approve of the fact that he's no longer President. n/t

[msongs]

13. since his policies continue on he doesn't look so bad these days lol nt

[heaven05]

25. ouch!

yet..... What is going on with this administration and it policies. Keystone, death penalty, bank bailouts, foreclosure continuance even with the banks having broken the law in many ways. Drones worry me. I see many more faults. I am beginning to worry about the direction of this 'democracy'.

[SammyWinstonJack]

47. heh

[Vestigial_Sister]

14. Here's a shot of the interior...

[LostOne4Ever]

16. Thats too many books

Thats too many books for Double Dumb.

[Hulk]

15. Hey, he kept us safe...AFTER 9/11.

...and we only invaded and pretty much destroyed one Muslim country, so that hardly counts as "bad" to fox viewers.

[TexasTowelie]

17. I'm grateful that I went to the "cool" Methodist-affiliated university in Georgetown, Texas!

From Wikipedia:

The university was chartered on April 17, 1911 by the five Annual Conferences in Texas of the United Methodist Church. Classes were originally planned to start in 1913 but were postponed until 1915.

SMU was established as the unsuccessful attempt to relocate Southwestern University from Georgetown, Texas to either Fort Worth or Dallas. The first relocation effort by Polytechnic College president Hiram A. Boaz and spearheaded by Southwestern president Robert Stewart Hyer involved merging Southwestern with Polytechnic College (now Texas Wesleyan University). The post-merger university would retain the Southwestern name while occupying Polytechnic's campus in Fort Worth.

The merger never came to fruition, primarily because the Dallas Chamber of Commerce set up a committee to raise funds and entice Southwestern to relocate to Dallas. This proposal gained considerable traction since Southwestern was operating a medical school in Dallas. Plans were drawn for the campus's first building, Memorial Hall, which inspired SMU's first building, Dallas Hall. Southwestern's trustees rejected the relocation plan, prompting Hyer's resignation and move to Dallas to establish Southern Methodist University.

SMU retained close connections to Southwestern and Polytechnic. Southwestern president Hyer became SMU's first president and Hiram A. Boaz, a Southwestern graduate, resigned as president of Polytechnic to become SMU's second president. Polytechnic attempted to become a feeder school of SMU before becoming a women's college. SMU acquired Southwestern's medical school in Dallas and operated it until 1915. Southwestern and SMU were athletic rivals until Southwestern became a small liberal arts college.

I've heard many stories indicating that Southwestern faculty are far more liberal than those at SMU.

[Brimley]

19. The Barnum Factor

P.T., specifically.

[Javaman]

20. Side Show George*. nt

[Solly Mack]

21. Short memories. Doormats.

[Arkana]

22. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, it would seem.

Plus Americans are morons and have the memories of goldfish.

[cartach]

23. Why is approval rating up?

It's a reflection of the fact that he can no longer do harm, his keeping a low profile since the end of his presidency,that most people have short memories and that time tends to have a healing effect on all wounds.

[William Seger]

30. I'd say it's a reflection of the fact

... that a substantial percentage of people responding in any poll are just twits.

[heaven05]

24. wow!

those numbers are sad. What is wrong with those 47%? Oh, I forgot those are the the 47% Poxnewsers who voted for romshit. Never mind.

[mercymechap]

26. Does this mean that there is the possibility

that next time Republicans will invite him to one of their events?

[BeyondGeography]

27. This is what happens when you paint puppies

[deutsey]

28. B. Kliban did this back in the late '70s

But I think it's a much more fitting memorial for all Bush accomplished in office.

[DFW]

29. Approve THIS

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[lonestarnot]

31. What big lie are they pushing about the fuckwad richie rich agenda, approval rating's ass.

[malthaussen]

36. Who'd the poll, his family?

Probably about half of them approve of Georgie.

-- Mal

[marshall]

37. What other direction could it go?

Nothing is static, and his approval ratings sunk to the lowest of the low. Time erases many things, and change is inevitable.

[tclambert]

39. For the opening, they should have a ceremonial book burning.

Of course, Dick Cheney would have to work the matches so George doesn't hurt himself.

[Sunlei]

40. yes we already know these new republicans approve and reward lots of bad persons

[sofa king]

41. Here's a picture of it:

[Cha]

44. Yeah, remember the corporate media "polls" during

campaign time. Mr and Mrs Millload actually thought they were going to win. Is this why jeb the smart bush(lol) thinks he can run in 2016?

[RyanThomas]

45. Funny how people forget about the nightmare of his "Leadership" after a few years.

*Following is a political joke I found*

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A tragic fire on Monday destroyed the personal library of President George W. Bush. Both of his books have been lost.

Presidential spokesman Ari Fleischer said the president was devastated, as he had not finished coloring the second one.

[Octafish]

46. ''Bin Laden Determined to Strike in United States.''

Hope this photo made it into the Lie-Bury.



My Little War Criminal and a Really Major Traitor.

Know your BFEE: George W Bush Knew 9-11 Was Coming and Did NOTHING!

[7wo7rees]

49. Here's one! Friends are Forever!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5446102

[Octafish]

50. Ah, love.

Then there're the toys...



...and boys will be boys...



...but best of all is sharing a smile...



Whatever happened to Talon News, anywah?

[7wo7rees]

55. Gannon/Guckert

[Blue Owl]

51. His approval rating really has nowhere else to go but up

n/t

[Evasporque]

52. The first book in the library is of course "My Pet Goat"...nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

53. Americans are dumb as shit!!

[Marrah_G]

54. I think alot of people approve of him no longer being in office :)