AP: Poll: President's approval on the rise after Thanksgiving

12-02) 14:30 PST WASHINGTON (AP) --

President Bush's standing with the public has improved since his surprise Thanksgiving trip to Iraq amid signs of a stronger economy and following congressional passage of a prescription drug benefit under Medicare.

Bush's job approval was at 61 percent in the National Annenberg Election Survey conducted the four days after the holiday, up from 56 percent during the four days before Thanksgiving. Disapproval of the president dropped from 41 percent to 36 percent, according to the poll released Tuesday.

Bush visited the troops in Baghdad on Thanksgiving -- a move that even won praise from political opponents.

Public opinion about Bush personally also improved during the four-day, post-holiday span, with an increase in the number who view him favorably from 65 percent to 72 percent. Republicans shifted from 83 percent with a favorable view of Bush personally to 94 percent. Democrats moved from 46 percent to 55 percent.

Public opinion on the war in Iraq did not shift significantly, however. People were about evenly split on whether the war in Iraq was worthwhile before the holiday and afterward.

Approval of Bush's handling of Iraq increased slightly, with 44 percent approving and 53 percent disapproving before Thanksgiving, and people evenly split on that question now. The public view of his handling of the economy also shifted from a 45-51 percent split before Thanksgiving to a public divided almost evenly on his handling of the economy, 50-48, afterward.

The margin of sampling error for the 789 people interviewed before Thanksgiving and the 847 interviewed after was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/12/02/national1730EST0659.DTL&type=printable

a poll measuring the corporate media's propaganda efforts. :eyes:

What is frightening to me is how many Republicans approve of him when nothing that he has done remotely resembles traditional GOP values as well as how many Dems like him. WHAT are they thinking?!?!

Steel tariffs and now the Prescription drug deal. Bush's strength is really among swing voters that used to support Clinton. This is why Bill has been trying to get a centrist nominated and not the impending Dean disaster.

If you think Kerry is a centrist, you are out of your gourd.

Dean is a better dream to Rove than Nader was. Even Ed Koch is going to support Bush unless one candidate gets serious about national defense.

you'd do it?
you are listening to the mass media far too much.
the dems fate is far from sealed no matter who the candidate is -- as of right now.
dean is certainly showing himself to be up to the job of going toe to toe with rove -- so give him a break.
it's too early in the game for alarm bells sirens of impending doom for any of the candidates.

:)

"a poll measuring the corporate media's propaganda efforts."

The visit to Iraq plus all the Economic Propaganda.

But what/who is the "National Annenberg Election Survey"?? Never heard of them.

HUH? Who are they?

...about 10% of the population is very easily distracted.

that a cheap photo-op can swing their view of this idiot. Pathetic.

didn't really improve much, but his favorability rating did, so that explains the bump. I would agree that it's probably temporary.

Things suck really really bad = slight dip

things suck really bad = sharp spike

Does anyone really believe these polls?

Never heard of it... did Rove, and a few of his buddies, call a few drunken pals during the Cowboys game and asked them what they thought of the whole "Bozo Goes To Baghdad" stunt?

Good find, GRClarkesq!!!

Can't we remind these nonthinking people that this man started a war under false pretenses.........usually NOT the American Way. He's going around the country right now "fundraising"...not doing any handling of anything!

Wonder if Bush picked up any campaign donations while in Iraq?

Letterman said it was only $1000.00 a plate.

it seems to be more Republican-skewed compared to mainstream polls.

one occasion by the Moonie Times to prove a pub talking point.
On the other hand my new company Acme Screen Door and Poll has Bush approval plummeting. Why not believe me? I mean really what the hell?

See: http://www.appcpenn.org/naes/

then P.T. Barnum was right.

Bush doesn't have a fricking 61% approval rating.

Even if this is accurate, it won't last. His Thanksgiving trip was just a PR event. Those don't change the facts.