Poll: Bush approval hits new low (CNN/Gallup/USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-02-02-campaign-roundup_x.htm

President Bush's approval among Americans has sunk to a new low, and Sen. John Kerry would likely win the presidential election if it were held today, according to a new USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll.

Bush's 49% approval number -- the lowest of his presidency -- is 11 points lower than his approval number in early January. He also received the lowest ratings of his presidency for his handling of the economy, foreign affairs and his performance on health care policy, with the numbers on those issues sinking substantially in the past few weeks.

"It's hard to believe that these numbers could turn as quickly as they have," political analyst Stuart Rothenberg, editor and publisher of the Rothenberg Political Report, said of the poll results. "My gut tells me that the direction is right, but the magnitude may be a bit of an exaggeration."

<snip>

Among likely voters, Kerry held a 53%-46% edge over Bush, a gap larger than the margin of error and a substantial turnaround from the 55-43 edge Bush held only three weeks ago. The bad news for Bush did not stop there: Most of the other leading Democrats landed in a statistical tie, polling within the margin of error in head-to-head matchups. Sen. John Edwards led Bush 49-48 among likely voters, and retired Gen. Wesley Clark trailed Bush 47-50.

maybe there really is light at the end of the tunnel!

They certainly deserve it.

:)

He's known for pursuing investigations like Iran contra, isn't he?

What I really want to know about Kerry is: will he side for the establishment or will he do a full investigation into 9-11?

Veterans do deserve attention, as you say; and 9-11 families and all citizens deserve a real investigation into 9-11.

Whoever gets in, I want to see plenty of investigations and NO pardons.

A coworker, registered republican, Vietnam Vet, general hero type of guy, and modest, talks to me a lot about the bush team and Iraq. Today he repeated what he said many times over, he is disappointed with the end run the republicans did around McCain and he does not want to vote for 4 more years of the bush team. However, he also said that he believes many people hesitate saying anything negative about any president for fear it will make things worse in Iraq, but he believes many fellow republicans are as dissatisfied as he is with the bush team. He believes that many of the polls are skewed because people such as himself would hesitate to tell a polling firm how disappointedly he truly feels. BTW, he already said he will vote for Dean or Kerry, he doesn't think too much of Clark or Lieberman and doesn't know anything about the others.

The high voter turnout is sending a great signal, that many Americans had enough of the bush team's all war and fear all the time.

would be afraid to answer a freaking poll honestly. I mean, come on, that's being a pansy.

the military, and puts value in that system, then he's much more likely to hold the position of "Commander-in-Chief" in high regard, despite who may actually be IN that position. It is a difficult detachment to make for some.

Besides, some Americans who consider themselves loyal still feel as though "we HAVE to support our president - we're in a war!" I've talked to people who genuinely believe this. Some of them are ardent republicans who are - what - "old school" that way? I'm not sure how to describe it. Some of these to whom I've spoken or with whom I've had email exchanges are determined to stand by bush. Some of 'em are seeing the light and just a little too much shit. But others may not, or may not want to.

There is another element working for some, too, I believe, based on what I've heard and seen of them. With some, it's still Clinton-based. They see Clinton as the big demon and liar here, perhaps conditioned by so much relentless, unrebutted Clinton-bashing. He lied, he lied, he lied, so somebody comes long from their party who talks the talk they want to hear about "bringing honor and integrity back to the White House," and how "the adults are back in charge," and they SO want to believe it that they suspend most if not all of their logic. You see it in what some of the freepers and the other loyalists and those who always call in to Rush and Hannity and so forth have said. Bush to them was already a rescuer, and because he's of their party affiliation and he SAYS he believes what they do and SAYS he's gonna be and do what they want, he just - well - is so much the opposite of Clinton that he couldn't possibly be a shit and a sneak and a traitor and a big liar like they viewed Clinton to be. He just couldn't possibly be that.

Could he?

People in the military, too, are trained to follow orders and to give respect. They are the ultimate true believers because they are truly going out there and putting their lives on the line, per the orders of their Commander-in-Chief. That's the ultimate "put their money where their mouths are." For some, that code of conduct rules all. I even read one news report, awhile ago, about how a few wounded soldiers, home from Iraq, were absorbing the adverse turns of events in Iraq and with the WMDs. Some already faced the truth. But there was one guy who remained staunchly in support of the war and of bush, because he said something to the effect of "if I believe the war was wrong then that means I got my leg blown off for nothing." It just tore me up.

Our military has to go do the really unbelievable dirty work for older, richer, establishment men who (it used to be) had done their fighting years ago, as young men, or - in THIS case - slithered out of their responsibility during Vietnam because they could pull strings or otherwise sidestep it and let somebody else go get roughed up. It makes me really feel for our guys out there, especially those, like that one wounded guy in the report I just mentioned, who gave up a leg - for a lie. The LAST people bush should ever have lied to are our soldiers. And that's a shriekingly awful truth to have to face, especially if you put your faith in your Commander-in-Chief. Or your family and neighbors did because that's just what loyal Americans are supposed to do.

The whole thing is just heart-breaking. Especially since I'd say most of these folks - military and military-related - are really sincere and genuine in their feelings and beliefs.

states they all have a pretty damned good chance.

Most of the other leading Democrats landed in a statistical tie, polling within the margin of error in head-to-head matchups.

the more I think that Bush really does not care. I think he was primed for this job for at least ten years--he came in illegally because he really did not win and it was crucial that he be the president. I don't think he cares if he goes down as a despicable man--he has not cared all of his life for the opinions of others. He has that sense of entitlement.

He got what was expected of him and can retire back to the pig farm now, drink himself to sleep every night as he did and has done for most of his life, will never have to worry about his health care insurance, and can laugh at the whole thing with Laura.

They do not care--I am convinced of that. They are not statesmen concerned about the USA--they are opportunists and, if so, they have reached their goal--like Ken Lay.

I do believe that is where they are at. The whole cabal.

How flattering you are. Horse theives, swindlers, thieves and assassins is what they are, and nothing less.

there will be long-term repercussions in the GOP and a lot of finger-pointing about how his admin. led his party over a cliff.

during the Clinton administration.

The one thing I'll never forget, (and I might get my revenge) it was right after junior was nominated and he choose Cheney as Vice President. The freeper were gloating how Dick Cheney was coming aboard and "he was loaded for bear" - God how that irked me. Over and over and over they'd go on, jumping up and down like how things were now gonna be better.

but what's the URL for the Freepers message board?

he will retire or be ousted in the next election and he will go back to Texass to live on his huge, 1,600 acred ranch or he may even sell it because it has no more Photo op attraction, and sell it , take the money and go off on another venture, laughing at us all the while, and he will go on with his priveledged life richer than ever.

I really do not think he cares at all.


Why should he? He has skunked us all and does not care what harm he has done or how many he has slaughtered and killed.

His two spoiled progeny will inherit his blood money and they will love it, because they are as lacking in grey cells as the rest of that family and do not realize that what they will spend of their inheritance is there because thousands of innocent people were murdered by their "Dad" All that will matter to them is what money they can spend on themselves, without having to work a day in thier life, as did thier daddy.

Their MUM will not be of any help. She is concentrating on spending the blood money on botox treatments as well as the laziness she has been accustomed to since she married the Bush bum and liked all the perps that his monied family brought to her. Riches, princess like adoration, and above all, the lack of expectation that she would use her brain at all and acutally contribute something back to society.

So, with all of this, what we have done by allowing Bush to coup an election, is award money to selfish, entitled, brats. and all those who let it go by, in order to get along, are equally as guilty.

Good for the old USA, eh?

Bush seems (to me) to feel a strong need to go his father one better. So nothing could be worse for him personally than to also end up as a one-term President. Nothing counts as much as that. I think he cares a great deal about that one thing, and not much else.

Dirk

Mark my words: he intends to stay in the White House, no matter what the outcome of the election - assuming an election is even held, and not "postponed" or outright canceled following, say, another "terrorist" attack.

I'm fearing most right now.

Check that: the one thing I fear more than that is that many people will be persuaded to agree with his doing so.

Those who are following the Constitution will be painted as traitors, while those who are destroying the very core of the same will be lauded as patriotic heroes making a difficult choice.

And doesn't that just fit the current Repub party leadership?

take the money and go off on another venture, laughing at us all the while, and he will go on with his priveledged life richer than ever.

or he could fall off the wagon and go back to his drunken ways.
He seems more like the Neil type who will self-destruct.

Maybe it'll be as the Romans did when they beat Carthage. They won the war, burned the city down and destroyed everything. Then they sowed the ground with salt so nothing would grow there later.

What I'm hoping is that, after this schmuck is done, the family bush will never again be able to get any of their own elected even to trash collector. NO MORE BUSHES!!! We will have had TWO successive bush presidencies where everything is okay (or in Reagan's case, SEMI-okay) when they get in, and all gone to hell when they leave. That would be a very easy campaign slogan to run on, if Jeb even tries to raise his ugly head above the trenches. Hey, America, you REALLY want another bush? Third time's a charm? Weren't the last two enough? Haven't we seen by now what happens when you leave a bush in charge of things? The bush we're stuck with now is living proof of the "fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Well, enough of America HAS been fooled twice by believing in these people - most of whom are hand-me-downs from the Reagan-Bush I era, with some even going back to Nixon.

If we're lucky, enough people will start realizing that EVERYTHING and EVERYONE this bush touches has turned to shit. Even worse than his dad. Every law. Every military adventure. Every ally, both foreign and domestic. Look at Tony Blair. He was still popular (as far as I know) before he got into bed with bush. Look at David Kay - credible in the eyes of most, and certainly nobody regarding his statements or viewpoints as suspect (he was pretty much under the radar) - until he got into bed with bush. This is a guy who genuinely has the "reverse Midas touch." He's turned America and several other places around the world to shit.

I'm hoping, for the sake of our country, that this bush is the END of that stupid fucking entitlement-junkie, royalty-wannabe, Kennedy clan-wannabe bush family. It'd be like driving the wooden stake into the vampire's heart. Ol Bar shoulda had her tubes tied. It would have been a public service.

You actually know that old saying...

than in most of the other major polls. If he's at 49% in Gallup, you can be sure his actual approval rating is 5-10 points lower.

in a month and thinks that number's exaggerated. Guess what - other polls have Bush under 50 percent. What was exaggerated was Bush's rating at 60 percent; no other poll had him that high a month ago. He was in the mid-50s in practically every other poll.

Excuse me Stuart, your baises are showing. So.. Why am I hearing this guys name today everywhere?

but I don't think any of the inside-of-the-beltway people have a clue about the depth of anti-Bush sentiment in the country.

the polls going in "the right direction," just not this drastically. Even he admits that bush was trending downward and that this was expected and regarded as the norm.

Rawther intriguing...

Let's hope he keeps sinking.

So much for capturing Saddam.

specifically that the polls had dropped SINCE the capture of Saddam. The subtle message - even THAT didn't help him. His numbers dropped 4 points after the SOTU. That's startling. Usually every president gets a bump, every year, from that. And during a campaign year, as I've read, it sets the tone and agenda for the campaign of the party in power. This one gained him nothing except raised eyebrows and more than a little derision for coming up with such a lackluster speech (especially when they apparently worked on it for four months).

So I guess he's gonna run on steroid abuse among our athletes or something.

"Bush's low approval rating was matched by the highest disapproval rating — 48% — of his presidency. Three percent of those polled had no opinion."

yawn.

that bump would only be temporary as well

I hope they play that card soon, it will boost them for a short period but then they have no more aces up their sleeve and the democrats can start laying out their cards on the table. If they play the Osama card before October, they are really scared, and the democrats won America back for the people.

Will only appear to be plolitically motivated.

People are learning the facts....even Republicans.

They are finally learning something we knew WAY before the 2000 election.

George W. Bush is a fool AND a liar and will do anything to help out his rich buddies.

We can feel it coming, the heat is getting intense now!!!

Approval hitting new lows, all democratic contenders surging against Bush. Bush does not want to lose. It's tin foil hat time folks.

Ricin in the mail???WTF! We better all hold onto our seats, Rove and Bush aren't going to take these drops lying down. Watch all political hell start breaking lose to slow Kerry, Edwards, Clark and even Dean!!!
I wouldn't even think martial law out of the question if a terrorist attack "gets through".

that all but stopped most serious efforts (and cut off much international support) in stemming the efforts of Osama and alqeada. Would give weight to Dean's decried suggestion that the ouster of Saddam has NOT made us safer.

If an OBL attack occurs - it will HURT bush more than help. It underscores their massive failures - including their LONG hesitation in the 911 commission.

Gallup has been consistently propping up his numbers...the next ABC/WP poll will also be telling...

but that's two polls - ABC/WaPo and NBC/WSJ. The Post poll is usually a good 5 points higher than everyone else.

That's what I meant, the ABC/WP poll which is always high..Oops!

:)

You can only deny the truth for so long. He is beginning to look like a fool to the general public. He has been exposed as a fraud, and now has lost their confidence. I doubt that anything can save him. This is pretty much what happened to Herbert Walker. By the time the election rolled around, he couldn't buy a vote.

I think he's toast in a fair election....That being said, that doesn't mean he won't "win"...

I can't wait until we have our country back from the Reich wing. We need to work on the problems in our country and across the world and bu$h is the biggest obstacle to solutions to those problems. He and his military industrial complex buddies have raped and pillaged this country more than enough.

Good riddance to you in Nov Shrub.

Sonia

... but given that * haven't even started spending some of the money from their warchest on ads, mudslinging etc., I'd take those figures with a bit scepticism.

I'm all against *, but I'm afraid that once they start spilling the money from the war chest, the figures will start moving the other way.

but that'll only get him so far.

but my gut feeling is that once the people have turned there is no turning them back. My RW brother that I have talked about often on DU (in frustration) has turned against bush. I may even have him talked into voting dean (I told him any of the democrats for a balanced budget were more 'republican' than bush). If he is any indication of the repugs (and I believe he is), then they are in big trouble. I have not read such negatives about bush at FR before either. When they start voting FOR gridlock as a way to control the government, it doesn't bode well for bush. I also don't remember people being SO mad at a president since Nixon. I'm hopeful....

Somebody here posted that they'd heard a rightwing talk show host getting all worked up about having two presidents in a row who have lied. Clinton and now bush. But when Clinton lied, nobody died.

THAT is going to be beyond galling to some of these people. Even if bush hand-delivers Osama to their doorstep and gives THEM personally the entire tax cut for life, they'd reject him because he's lied to them worse than Clinton did, and made them look like fools for trusting him.

Judging from the people I've encountered who lean this way, they put a LOT of faith and trust in bush and felt completely vindicated after Clinton - "well, NOW we have a good Christian man in the White House who won't lie to us." They put TONS of faith, and their whole heart into the slogans that "the adults are back in charge" and they're "bringing honor and integrity back to the White House" after that damned Clinton. And now they've been BEYOND betrayed. And with every lie, and every day's news report about more turmoil in Iraq (wasn't that supposed to be all fixed by now, what with Saddam gone, even?) and nothing turning out as they were ASSURED it would, they have nothing to believe in anymore. The gloaters, in particular, are silent. I haven't heard peep out of some of 'em in awhile. They know they have egg on their faces. They will be MOST angry with the guy that put that egg there. They won't forget that.

VERY telling that some freepers are now reported to be talking about voting for gridlock. You know what that means. It means they are actively anticipating losing the White House, and the only thing they think they might be able to salvage in the House and/or Senate. VERY telling.

the truth and deal with the Bush Administration as it should be dealt with, and, on the other hand, how much do I believe that mass deception, unabashed media lies, compassionate hatred, and Republican money can continue its nightmarish rule?

Our local 60 Minutes clone have been looking at the various Democratic candidates for a while, following the cencus theatre around and son on, and as soon as the numbers for * was going below the magic 50% line, they were quick to add that the war chest haven't been opened, and that the republicans were good at spinning things into their favor (just look at the 9/11/Saddam/Al-Qaeda/Iraq mixup - how many people believe that Saddam & Bin Laden are best pals?).

...doing what the Media could not do. Make Mr. Bush Jr. and the Republicans responsible for their actions.:nuke:

http://www.pollkatz.homestead.com/files/pollkatzcontentpage.html


This hasn't been updated to include the latest poll. If you put the latest number in it is interesting to note the other presidents with similar numbers at the same point.

Bombs away!

We need to really politically obliterate the Bush presidency. There should be nothing left when this is all through.

With another few "jobless" months and Congress screaming over the budget, I'll bet we see 39%.

Let's see people waking up and a groundswell of Democratic support start now and crescendo in November . . .

that should be, "keep it down, keep it down!!" :)

his approval numbers and got flamed
for complaining. This is great news!

-- checked out our candidates and compared ours to Bush.

I wouldn't want to be Bush in that comparison.

Go Democrats.

is in the fact that the numbers are substantially too high and do not reflect the actual state of public opinion.

The right leaning people at my work are beginning to question bush- the deficit, lack of wmd, cutting taxes with spending out of control. One of the biggest hawks said "How would you feel now if you lost a son or daughter over in Iraq" referring to the lack of wmd- I'm glad they are waking up.

...forced coverage from the media whores who were all gloating over the implosion of the Democratic party.....Unintended consequences: Americans were given a look at the quality of our candidates.

While the media was shrieking in a unified voice: bush* bashers...bush* haters....bush* bashers...bush* haters... they were playing the clips of our candidates raising HONEST, VALID, FACT BASED criticisms of bunnypants* and his coalition of criminals. Previously uninformed Americans were given a glimmer of the REAL TRUTH surrounding the bush* criminals.

The CorpoMedia and their Whoremasters were attempting to drive a steak through the heart of the opposition.
Instead, they gave us life.
HA HA HA HA HA HA

This is one reason why a big huge freaking glass of spirited debate is the best drink for a nation. Bottoms up!

and all our contenders are starting to tounce Bush. Yeahaaaa!

well let's get our tinfoil hats on, cause you know the powers that be are cooking up some terrorist strike, or OBL will suddenly pop out of the woodwork and by the by what ever happened to Saddam, I mean is he getting his trial? are they walking him around the desert looking for WMD? WTF

"Only twice have presidents been trailing challengers at this point in an election year. In 1948, Harry Truman managed to come back and win. In 1976, Gerald Ford didn't."

Bush's mission is accomplished - he got Saddam for Poppy. He doesn't want a second term enough to steal another one.

Keep pounding away DU'ers. Keep those emails, letters, bumper stickers, donations, etc. coming!

Don't let up for one second.

My god, look at the picture in that article.. Kerry looks like a statue! Is he alive?

have to do with shrub's poll numbers, or anything else discussed in this thead?

Kinda freaky.

It is in the linked-to article, so it is in the correct place.

do you have a point?

maybe around 0%..with no margin of error!!

...the economy is growin' briskly. That feller from the AEI said so on NPR this mornin'. </hillbilly sarcasm>

I had to laugh when he was basically telling us that there isn't anything to worry about and deficits don't matter because the shit hasn't hit the fan yet. That's like saying, "well, I'm still breathing, so let's jump off this here bridge." Idiots.

Rican in the Senate, planes grounded, naked boobs at the Super bowl - it's the apocalypse now!

once upon a time politicians promised a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage to get your vote ... bush* now promises a terrorist on every plane and bio-weapons in every mailbox