Bush's Approval Rating Falls Again, Poll Shows

[TacticalPeek]

ush's Approval Rating
Falls Again, Poll Shows
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE
November 17, 2005

President Bush's positive job rating continues to fall, touching another new low for his presidency, the latest Harris Interactive poll finds.

Bush's current job approval rating stands at 34%, compared with a positive rating of 88% soon after 9/11, 50% at this time last year, and 40% in August.

And he's not alone. Cabinet members, Congressional leaders and both parties in Congress have also seen their ratings slip, with Democrats seeing one of the biggest dips in approval, the telephone poll of 1,011 U.S. adults shows.

Vice President Dick Cheney's approval ratings slipped to 30% this month from 35% in August, while Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's approval ratings dropped to 34% from 40% and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's approval ratings fell to 52% from 57%, according to the poll.

more
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB113216347138199155-5Z1Ri_om8ITUbV_jD2bx6maguMY_20061116.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top

[Tom Joad]

1. Remember, Nixon went down to the low 20s before he resigned.

We can do that again.

[brainshrub]

55. Bush is not emotionally capable of resigning.

Bush is a man who fears being held accountable for his past actions; As long as he is president, he gets some protection from the ghosts of the people he murdered.

Once he's a civilian again, it would take a man of great cunning and intelligence to avoid justice. Bush simply isn't that smart.

To be sure, in the short term, Bush will go back to Crawford and probably be okay for a few years... but he will be a prisoner in his own home. Eventually he will do jail time.

[PurpleChez]

56. True. And, of course, he's also pathologically incapable of admitting

a mistake. Resigning, of course, whould be the ultimate admission. I've always suspected that many of the thugs jumped on the Jeebus bandwagon to curry favor with conservative voters, but for some reason I think that * actually believes he's doing the work of God and, therefore, cannot ever be wrong. He'll have to be removed through impeachment or forced out by his own party leaders after they realize the longterm damage he's doing to their party.

[SammyWinstonJack]

63. LOL! bush a legend in his own mind.

He's only fooling a very small minority with his *born again* crap. That was a Rover stunt to get religious nut jobs to vote for him in Texas and then again for President. I don't know what that phony ass believes but he sure isn't a religious man. That much is evident. His self-inflated ego won't let him admit that he is ever wrong. That's it.

[JohnstownDEM]

70. legend

He's also a legend in alot of other people's minds too. Those who think he can do no wrong and that the "liberal media" is out for blood. Think...O'Reilly, Hannity, Coulter.

By the way, I'm a long time lurker, first time poster here. I had an email read on the air during The O'Lielly Factor the other night.

"Bill, you call war protestors "traitors" and then turn around and call for the destruction of an American city"


...he edited out the last part ", in a blue state no less. Who's the real traitor here Bill?"

[Athame]

77. Welcome to the visible word, JohnstownDEM!

:hi: Glad to have you join the conversation.

:thumbsup: And good on ya for the O'Reilly letter--scum that he is to snip out the challenge to his falfelness. I imagine he does that all the time.

[Orsino]

58. But he is predisposed to walk away when he gets bored...

...or inconvenienced. And he's petulant, so I could imagine him blaming his critics before resigning. No actual accountability is required for such a speech, so that's the way he'd do it.

[brainshrub]

59. Here is an extremely revealing quote from Bush:

"I am the commander, see?

I do not need to explain why I say things. — That's the interesting thing about being the President. — Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation." -- President George W. Bush.

The moment that he leaves office is when he has to start explaining himself; I suspect this is why he looks like he's coming apart at the seams lately.

[MarsThe Cat]

67. explain himself to who?

or is it whom?

i don't see him saying much anything to anyone about much after his term is up...like nixon, he'll pretty much go into seclusion- but unlike nixon(who actually had a functioning mind), he'll never emerge as the 'elder statesman'.
He won't chance public appearances, because he won't be able to have such a tight control on the audiences. and nobody will really care anyway, because he is so universally unpopular.
a lot of the ex-POTUS's(POTI?) make money doing lectures after they're out of office- he probably won't.
It'll also be interesting to see if he keeps his 'ranch' for very long, once he's out of office.

ultimately?
bitter old drunk, tortured by personal demons, despised by all...

in that respect, i can only hope he has a long, long, lonely life- to reflect on what he has wrought.

[genieroze]

81. No kiddin

When he leaves office. (In a Ricky Ricardo voice) Bushie, you got some splainin to do.

[ClassWarrior]

86. If he had any dignity at all, he'd resign now and spare us the shame.

:evilgrin:

(pass it on...)

NGU.

[Sanity Claws]

91. I disagree

He's a quitter. If he wants to resign, he will find a way of doing it without admitting any responsibility for his actions. For example, he will say that he was pushed out by partisan hacks set out to destroy him and that he resigned for the good of the country.

[AbbyR]

121. You're dreaming on the jail time...

but I certainly hope your dream comes true. Boy, would that be beautiful - a Bush behind bars.

[President Kerry]

123. I don't want him to resign.

I want to him to be led away in handcuffs. I want him to even try to defend himself in court.

[MojoXN]

125. "Eventually he will do jail time."

I see that you are far more optimistic than I. I think that * is going to see to it that a Rightist is installed as the next "elected" leader, in order to secure a pardon. But than again, I'm one of those, "glass half empty" kind of people...

MojoXN

[unblock]

2. and of the 34%, half of them haven't read a paper in a month

sure, they're mostly kool-aid-holics, but they are capable of feeling betrayed....

[CoffeeCat]

8. 98 percent of that 34 percent believe that Tinky Winky is gay...

...so there ya go.

Who ARE those people anyway?

I think 34 percent is inflated. I rarely meet a Bush supporter anymore. They're about as common as trilobites.

[Lautremont]

19. And about as charismatic.

[Up2Late]

37. I think President Abraham Lincoln said it best...

He said:

"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."

Abraham Lincoln, (attributed)
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
<http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/27074.html>
<http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Abraham_Lincoln/>

The 34% are the "...some of the people all of the time..." he was referring to.:evilgrin:

<http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/27074.html>

<http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Abraham_Lincoln/>

Another one * should take heed of:

'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

Abraham Lincoln, (attributed)
16th president of US (1809 - 1865)
http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/844.html

[leftchick]

44. What a brilliant man Abe was

I wonder how many times old Honest Abe has turned in his grave over the lying sack of shit squatting in his WH?

[JohnstownDEM]

72. "What a brilliant man Abe was"

It's kind of funny, alot of the wacky neo cons tout Abe as "the best republican"...after their hitler youth like worship of reagan of course. They don't seem to realize that the republicans of Lincoln's time held mostly democratic views. Freeing the slaves wasn't exactly a very conservative idea.

[leftchick]

83. good observation JohnstownDEM

and welcome to DU!

:)

[NYC Liberal]

84. He was the "best Republican"

because he was a liberal

Welcome! :hi:

[PegDAC]

90. Lincoln

is not merely turning in his grave. That whirring sound you hear is old Abe spinning underground!

:D :evilgrin: :rofl:

[strategery blunder]

41. They're still common in bushbot Jesusland

I still have to deal with them...:shrug:

[PurpleChez]

61. I don't think it's that 34% support * so much as...

that they are die-hard conservatives and support a conservative administration. And, to an extent, I can accept that. I understand that if one is a hard-core conservative (fiscally, socially, whatever) even if you don't care for the individual fronting the GOP at the moment you're not going to slap a Harry Reid bumper sticker on your car. I think that if it weren't for loyalty to the conservative cause (whatever that might be to them) *'s numbers would be even lower than 34%. Still, it's increasingly difficult for me to reconcile the fact that I know many good, good, decent folks who are Bush supporters with my belief that, in November '05, to support Bush is to support torture, illegal war, environmental degredation, religious bigotry, and on and on. Tough, sometimes, not to be overcome by the hate.

[Dulcinea]

47. Or they just don't care. Or aren't paying attention.

I know people who would say, "Yeah, I guess so," if asked if they support Bush et al., but they have no interest in politics & never pay attention to the news unless a huge story is happening. It's so much easier to live in your own little world.

[CoffeeCat]

3. Somebody cue the theme music...

...Tom Petty's "Free Falling"...

Free falling, now I'm free falling...

[JCMach1]

4. At Some Point He will get a DEAD CAT Bounce

:)

[merwin]

7. That's what they've been saying for months...

however I haven't seen it. Surprising.

[mcscajun]

119. "...DEAD CAT Bounce" -- I had to look this one up.

Chalk up another "thing I learned today at DU".

:)

For those who also didn't know and were afraid to ask, here's the story on the Dead Cat Bounce:

Paul McFedries found an early example of its use in one of his WordSpy columns, from an Associated Press newswire piece dated February 1986:

One of the most vivid, if a bit indelicate, word pictures painted by the bears on oil comes from Raymond F. DeVoe Jr. at the investment firm of Legg Mason Wood Walker. DeVoe suggests the printing of a bumper sticker reading: “Beware the Dead Cat Bounce.” “This applies to stocks or commodities that have gone into free-fall descent and then rallied briefly,” he says. “If you threw a dead cat off a 50-story building, it might bounce when it hit the sidewalk. But don’t confuse that bounce with renewed life. It is still a dead cat.”

http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-dea3.htm

So with Bush's poll numbers.
:applause:

[vortnik1]

126. I'd be scared

To have a bumper sticker like that! People would attack me! They might think I was a cat killer. Or Bill Frist...............

[cliss]

5. I don't believe it -

I think the actual figures are much lower. I've read that Cheney has an approval figure of 19%. So why 30%? Did he do something good lately?

[merwin]

6. After reading the timeline of Nixon, this is following pattern pretty damn

closely.

One little thing on top of one little thing over a couple years, and then those little things start weighing down and become one massive weight on their backs, until they collapse.

I guess it's the downfall of any evil empire.

[4_Legs_Good]

89. I'm reading "All The President's Men" right now, and

it's amazing how well what's going on now mirrors 1972/1973.

Particulalry amusing is the way both the George Jr. and Nixon administraitons attacked the press and accused them of bias, bad reporting, etc.

I guess the difference is that this time the Administration has a several mainstream news organizations in its pocket.

david

[DanCa]

9. America is starting to see the true face of Dorian Gray.

Unfortunately too little too late.

[bluestateguy]

10. Republicans just lost another talking point

"His approval ratings are still higher than Clinton's lowest ratings (36%)."

Well, that one won't work anymore.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. New talking point: he still has a positive approval rating.

That one will work until he slips below zero.

[gatorboy]

21. When were Clinton's poll numbers so low?

I'm honestly curious.

[mac56]

48. Near the beginning, when he was working on Medicare reform.

Even during the Lewinski situation, his ratings were higher than *'s.

[gatorboy]

60. During Clinton's impeachment proceedings,

his ratings actually shot up 10 pts within a week, to 73%. Higher than Reagan's highest poll.

I guess Bush needs to get him a Monica. :P

[NYC Liberal]

85. Who was it who suggested we get someone to blow him

Just so we can impeach him? ;)

[mwb970]

51. The low numbers for Clinton occurred when he was a new president.

Bush's bad numbers are based on 5 years of "governing".

[SW FL Dem]

11. Now I can go to sleep with a smile on my face n/t

[Lorien]

12. The article says that Dems only have a 25% approval rating

while Repugs get 27%. I guess the only upside there is that come election time there's more of them to vote out!

[LonelyLRLiberal]

15. Gutless wonders may be the perception - ya guess?

[Al-CIAda]

57. Exactly. The complicit Dems get blamed for being sell-outs. -eom

[Erika]

22. I don't think the GOP is above the dems

This is a WSJ poll.

[ECH1969]

23. These numbers tell me that people are unhappy with everything

right now period.

[INdemo]

25. Well there is something wrong here

Just last week a poll favored Democrats onver Repubs leading Congress..This just doesn't add up,,,,But damn..this is certainly a talking point for the Republican spinsters......

[trogdor]

52. If they feel the need to point out Dems bad #'s on ANYTHING...

...that means things must be REALLY bad for the GOoPERS. The WSJ does NOT want the Democrats to regain control of Congress, no matter how disenchanted they are with Bush at the moment. Furthermore, I suspect that any GOoPer congresscritter who stands up to Bush on the more obvious stupidity will be seen as a hero to their constituents (see Boehlert, Sherwood), while most WSJ readers just can't stand Democrats, no matter how smart, no matter how competent, and no matter the extent to which they "work with" the majority. Thus the WSJ's ability to generate numbers that enable them to say, "well, our Pretzeldent might suck,...but the Democrats suck more!"

[desi826]

82. What! 25%!

What Bullshit!

Every other poll has the Dems beating the Repubs on every issue now. I have noticed the pattern in these polls of making sure the Dems have the same approval ratings as the Repubs for a while now.
I even understand why that is.
In a crooked voting system such as we have, the margin of error is God.
Dems can't get ahead or no one will believe Repubs legitimately held on to Congress in 06.

But in recent weeks, with the GOP bogged down in corruption and electoral losses, the Dems have finally broken away.

And now I am supposed to believe that they have a 25% approval rating that's LOWER than the Repubs?

I guess Karl is back in a huge way again.
Des

[gristy]

14. I think with the republican turn against bush on Iraq in Congress,

the remaining sheeple will feel that they can turn their backs on * without their heads exploding. We will see further erosion in upcoming polls.

Pay attention folks, history is now being made.

[Erika]

16. We have a president and a Congress who flipped off

the American public. W and his entourage are out there being world travelers and talking about freedom and democracy. While our food banks here are running dry and our poor kids aren't insured. Our infrastructure is crumbling and our kids are failing in math and science, but his minions are out there touting our way of life.

He is so failed.

[TacticalPeek]

17. Watch AWOL fall.

http://www.planetdan.net/pics/misc/georgie.htm



(he's mousable)

[NoSunWithoutShadow]

65. Thanks for posting that site. What fun, to get him stuck between

the rocks. He is so mousable.

[Geo55]

122. What fun !

Love to drop him on his head...much fun !

[David Zephyr]

18. Who have thunk it? The WSJ has Georgie at 34%. That's something.

Ouch!

[SammyBlue]

43. Consider this big.

Consider that 40% of the population will support him no matter what he does and 40% will not.

Elections are over those 20% who are undecided.

Now, if the Neo-con rag, the WSJ, has him at 34%, it means it's looking worse and worse.

I'd say another six months and we'll get a head count of every lunatic, freeptard, fucknut, asshat, racist, homophobe, misgynonist and fascist in the country. By May, I will place even money, our boy Chimpy will be down to 20 - 25%.

Now, what back has his political capital again?

[chalky]

20. Reached bottom--starting to dig.

n/t

[lovuian]

24. Politician is = thief what the Congress has done to this country

is evil!!!

[Hissyspit]

26. C'mon, 20s! You can do it, Mr. pResident! nt

[KansDem]

68. Yeah, maybe we can convince him its like a golf score!

The lower the better!


Now watch this drive

[PassingFair]

27. Three words:

Liberal. Talk. Radio.

A rent in the fabric of lies.

[Virginian]

28. Aren't they all out of DC?

Now would be one of those times a terror alert gets issued to boost his ratings.

[kurth]

29. 34%?? Your dog would do a better job

[mrdmk]

45. Just on my dog's looks alone he would do better!

fact: you cannot lie to a dog, they know better.

[Erika]

30. I feel deeply betrayed. Very deeply.

W and his administration are acting as if they are the Harlem Globe Trotters while they are stealing our profits and transferring them to their (GOP) globalist friends. They are the true traitors of this country.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

34. My ex is a producer for NBC, His words were, we will blow this

out of proportion (like we always do) planning our wedding/honeymoon (and felt the need to call in), and the one client said the prior client was Cunanan (not sure of the spelling, but he killed people in NJ the day before this event). This is not a slam against NBC, but all the majors about hyping things.

The news media in this country is a joke, and it's not even funny how low they will go.

I agree, the transfer of money is ridiculous, the only saving grace that I believe in is the pendulum. It swung, way to the right, and is due to swing way left, but we have to just settle it, left of the dial.

[Up2Late]

31. Funny how they say, "...with Democrats seeing one of the biggest dips..."

...with out actually having any "poll numbers" to back up those statements.

I wonder if "Democrats" could sue the so-called "newspaper," The Wall Street Journal, for slander (or would it be liable)?

[Tom Joad]

39. I suspect there are poll numbers to back that up.

Unpleasant truth. Democratic leaders are not very popular. Maybe if they backed populist ideas -like ending the war in Iraq..bringing the troops home now instead of a year from now. Or a health care plan for all working people. Or demanding a living wage for all.

But corporate donors would veto such things. So that is "unrealistic".

[Up2Late]

78. I think the word you were looking for was you Assume...

"...there are poll numbers to back that up." Don't Assume anything, especially when it comes to the GOP and the WSJ Editors, they are all well documented and habitual Liars.

[vortnik1]

127. Yep,

We're seeing one of the Biggest Dips, alright....

[Emillereid]

32. Hip Hip Hooray!!!!

[Mojambo]

33. Good to see Condi take a hit.

She's been regarded much too highly.

[JohnstownDEM]

73. She's been regarded much too highly.

That's because people are still starry eyed with the fact that her being secretary of state is some sort of equivalent to the civil rights movement. She's got nothing on Dr. King or Ms. Parks

[Rainscents]

35. I don't believe shit abou Dem's rating... I have no idea, who the fuck WSJ

polled, this is total bullshit!

[WePurrsevere]

50. Please see my post (#49) - It's done by Harris Interactive polls...

anyone can register and take these so from what I've seen they're easily manipulated.

http://www.harrispollonline.com/became.asp

[JohnstownDEM]

74. I have no idea, who the fuck WSJ polled, this is total bullshit!

They polled the whitehouse staff...duh!

[ThoughtCriminal]

36. An interesting exclusion from the published results

Excellent/Good was grouped as "Positive" and Fair/Poor were grouped as "Negative". Usually a poll with that breakdown would publish the numbers for all 4. For most recent polls, the group giving Bush the lowest marks has become the largest category and those rating him as "Excellent" the smallest group. In other words, people not only unhappy with him, a growing number are VERY unhappy.

The numbers for Congressional democrats seems to be at odds with other recent polls, but it may be reflecting disatisfaction with their unwillingness to oppose Bush rather than ideological opposition.

[oregonindy]

38. wonder if there is going to be a protest when he lands back in the states.

LOL...I can see it now....I'm sorry mr. president you cant deboard yet A huge number of people dont seem to want you to get off the plane.

[Tom Joad]

40. A very right wing congressman famously said of Nixon...

I don't mind him going to China. I just dont want him to return.

[saracat]

42. Yeah, but so did ours according to this!

And they like the GOP just barely more than us! So if they aren't going to support the Dems, who gibe a flying F**ck what they think of Bush?? He is a lame duck anyway!

[salin]

46. first time in eons I can recall Cheney's #s not that different than Ws.

Remember the talk in late 2003/early 2004 about dumping Cheney from the ticket... difference between bush at 34% and cheney at 30% isn't that much...

[WePurrsevere]

49. Harris Interactive poll = Easily manipulated - ANYONE can sign up...

& take it so it might be freeped by a group already. If you don't like the results sign up and DU it. The skew might work both ways unless manipulated by the polling company.

This is the same one I signed up for a while ago. They send out links to polls via their email list. Here's a link to the info on how one becomes a member... just hit the register tab there if you to would like to be a part of the game. ;) http://www.harrispollonline.com/became.asp

[TacticalPeek]

53. This survey was conducted among nationwide cross sections of 1,011 adults

At the bottom of the link -


Methodology: This survey was conducted by telephone in the U.S., November 8 and 13, 2005 among a nationwide cross sections of 1,011 adults. Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults, number of voice/telephone lines in the household, region and size of place were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. In theory, with probability samples of these sizes, one could say with 95% certainty that the results have a statistical precision of +/-3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire U.S. population had been polled with complete accuracy.

[Tarc]

54. Exactly

I was about to post that blurb too.

Looks people, we can't just be crowing about Bush's sagging ratings one second and then slam the polling when it shows the Democratic Congress numbers suck as well. That is the kind of evasive, backtracking flip-floppery that the GOP has made into an art form. Don't emulate it.

There can be other reasons as to why it is so low, such as frustration at the party's across-the-board minority status and inability to prevent much of the conservative agenda from being enacted.

[WePurrsevere]

97. Thanhks I noticed that after I had posted however

it looks very much if not exactly the same as a poll I've taken at least twice via one of their links.

Although this one may have been done as they say quite frankly I'm not sure I would trust Harris not to skew numbers to please the one that's requested the poll. According to a friend of mine that's a professional Statistician that happens all the time.

[Roy]

62. the best thing about these polls....

I think it shows that the repubs will not be elected with only gay bashing talking points and yelling liberal, liberal, liberal.

And, the public does not trust them on any substantial issues.

[Toots]

64. "with Democrats seeing one of the biggest dips in approval,"

Maybe if we act more like Republicans we can get people to like us better. D'oh we've been doing that haven't we? Hmmmm I wonder what else we could do????? Maybe act like Democrats, no then the right would yell at us and heaven knows we don't want that... I know we will get Leiberman to get our rating back up there.......Ya that's the ticket.

[MarsThe Cat]

69. this should be a WAKE THE F*** UP call to the congressional Dems-

the people WANT you to GROW A SPINE already...STAND UP to those fuckwads, and get us OUT of the hole they've dug.

[JudyM]

124. Exactly, and also make point about our values vs their values more CLEARLY

[zann725]

66. Two more points, and he'll match Poppy's popularity at end of HIS term.

Like daddy, like son. History again repeats itself...grotesquely.

[Strawman]

71. it does look like support for both parties has been reduced their cores

Now would be about the perfect time for a high profile independent with some money to run.

But I think the longer he stays this low, eventually you'll see more people jumping on the Democratic bandwagon. Coherent opposition helps. There's been some of that by Reid and Pelosi, but it could be better.

The Repugs have all the power and elections are typically referrenda on the party and its leaders in power. They can only turn so many elections into referrenda on guns, gays and God before the focus returns to their shitty performance.

[superconnected]

75. People are still uninformed. 1 in 3 support him. gag.

And they lowered their views on dems. I believe that is because they are uninformed too.

I have a republican on another site trying to tell me how much we get for that billion a day we're spending... its to fight terrorism, so he thinks.

You gotta wonder how these repukes can't register things like the gov being too cheap to give to the military - not giving them body armor and cutting their disability. For the billions the gov is spending on the war, you'd think that'd be priority. He just doesn't get it.

[catmandu57]

76. These are dangerous days

the lower the numbers go the tighter my tin foil is jammed on. I'm afraid these bastards won't go quietly. The only thing they understand is power, raw pure go fuck yourself power. They've worked too hard to steal it and I just can't see them giving up no matter how much of the country or world hates them.
They have to know that the future doesn't look good if ever they don't have control of government. Keep your eyes wide the fuck open.

[watercolors]

79. hope they hit rock bottom!

nt

[Arugula Latte]

80. Thank you, Jeeeeebus!!

Yeeeeeeearrrrrgh! :woohoo:

[Danieljay]

87. I dont think it will go lower...

I really think 34% of the population are just plain dumbasses. He's finally down to his true base.

[Tight_rope]

88. Damn...It's still way too high!....

It should be reading 2%. Which would account for the 2% of the US popularation who have all the wealth.

[savemefromdumbya]

92. What's Cheney's approval ratings? 2%?

[MadisonProgressive]

93. I never noticed what a beautiful number '34' was. Pretty as pie!

[Contradistinction]

94. We don't pay attention to polls

That's what these windbags say now. They always have a bullshit answer for everything. I was watching Meet The Press Sunday & that was the response. Fire the pollster...We don't listen to polls.

How do we beat that?

Hi everyone....I'm new!

[renate]

120. Hi Contradistinction!

Welcome to DU!

:party: :hi: :pals:

[Peter Frank]

95. It's probably allot tougher for Bush to maintain his arrogance these days.

[wordpix]

96. so much for the BushCo "offensive" against critics---hahahaha

[sabra]

98. President Bush’s Job Rating Falls Again, to 34 Percent Positive (Harris)

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=613

President Bush’s Job Rating Falls Again, to 34 Percent Positive
Cabinet members, congressional leaders and both parties in Congress also down five or more points since August

The latest Harris Poll finds that President Bush’s positive job rating has continued to fall, touching another new low for his presidency at 34 percent. This compares with his positive ratings of fully 88 percent after 9/11, 65 percent in November 2002, 50 percent at the end of 2003, 50 percent in November 2004, 45 percent in June of this year, and 40 percent in August.

President Bush’s positive ratings, now, compare unfavorably with those of three of the last four two-term presidents at a comparable time in their fifth year in office. In November (or the nearest month to it when the Harris Poll measured it) of their fifth year, their positive ratings, Presidents Johnson (67%), Reagan (66%) and Clinton (58%) all enjoyed the support of substantial majorities. President Nixon however (29%) was significantly less popular than President Bush is now.

...

This negative trend is reflected by similar downward trends in the ratings of other Republican leaders and members of the Cabinet:

Vice President Dick Cheney’s positive rating has fallen five points since August from 35 percent to 30 percent.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice – still by far the most popular Cabinet member – has seen her positive rating fall five points since August, from 57 percent to 52 percent.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s positive rating has fallen from 40 percent in August to 34 percent now.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s positive rating is down four points since August, from 26 percent to 22 percent
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s positive rating is down from 28 percent to 23 percent which suggests he will not be a strong presidential candidate in 2008.
The positive rating of the Republicans in Congress is down from 32 percent to 27 percent since August.

[Deep13]

99. So one in 3 still approve?

Who are these idiots?

[indepat]

102. Yeah, what were the 34% thinking?

[BJW]

113. Well I know a few of these idiots (unfortunately)

One guy I know listens to Limberger near exclusively and his worldview and grasp of facts is intensely distorted. He hates Arabs and Muslims, and thinks that U.S. control over middle east oil is a justified national interest for going to war. He thinks that WMD was a lie that needed to be told for the greater good.

Another one, a young woman, confessed that she really just hates, I mean HATES Arab men and thinks they're all arrogant, sexist pricks, and she doesn't care whether the war was right or wrong, or based on lies, she just thinks they all need to be taught a lesson and that the world is much better the less Arab men there are.

Another one, a woman, thinks that Saddam Hussein was an insane, evil bastard and we were right to take him out, that we had absolutely no choice, because it was either him or us.

So--here are three real-life people, part of the 34% who support Bush, no matter what.

[twaddler01]

114. Sickening

:puke:

Even worse is the GOP. http://www.gop.com/ :puke:

[BJW]

118. Absolutely--and it's really about their major prejudice and racism

that they can't and won't admit to publicly. The facts don't really matter to them, what really seems to be at the crux of their support is the belief that we should kill off as many Arab men as possible.

[LynzM]

100. Um, yay!

I like the fact that Nixon's rating of 29% is 'significantly less popular' than 34%. I think once you're under 35, you pretty much suck, is the short version, LOL.

[Deep13]

101. Nixon didn't have Fux News, Limbaugh.

[LynzM]

106. True that...

How do you think BushCo would be doing if we had an honest media? Oh wait. They wouldn't even be in office if we had an honest, investigative media. Never mind.

[LynzM]

107. Oops

Well, they'd still suck, no matter what!

[Jacobin]

103. Frist is at 23%!!!!!

Oh my, that is simply delicious.

That's my very favorite part of the article.

:woohoo:

[Deep13]

109. Wait until he's indicted!

:party:

[Az_lefty]

104. I suppose his politicizing Veterans Day didn't help him...

or maybe it backfired!!!:nopity:

[NYC Liberal]

110. Actually, you're right on the money!

Check out this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1931175

:hi:

[Cha]

105. I see people haven't caught

on to condiliar yet..she's being protected by some invisible bubble that going to burst any time now.

[rd_kent]

108. I cant wait

until it falls to 7%, the same percentage of the population that are christian fanatics who will support him no matter what.

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

111. What the fuck to people see in Condoleeezzza?

What a creep.

[Deep13]

117. They are hoping she can win over the Black vote.

Right now, polls show that 2% of African-Americans support Bush with a 3% MOE, making negative numbers a possibility. With a Black candidate in 2008, that support could double.

[HereSince1628]

112. Statisically speaking, BAHAA! Look at the margin of error!

Bush is closing in on Nixon. 34%-29% = 5%. THe margin of error on a survey of about 1000 is 3%. So Bush is with 2% of not being distinguishable from Nixon!

At the rate Bush is falling we will be able to say he is as unpopular as Nixon by the 6th day of Christmas!

[Infomaniac]

115. 34% is still too high. Wait 'til people start getting their heating bills.

Once those heating bills start showing up, Chimpy and Dickwad are going to have as many supporters as that bridge to nowhere has users.

[twaddler01]

116. It will happen

Especially if we get a cold winter...