|
|
<< Indian Poor Reject Pro-Market Party | Main | Bush ReLost Vietnam >> May 13, 2004Bush Poll Numbers CollapseThis is a deadly poll for Bush: President Bush's overall approval rating has fallen to the lowest level of his presidency, 44 percent, in the latest CBS News poll.Not surprisingly given the events of the last few weeks, the population now see Iraq as a disaster: The highest figure ever recorded, 64 percent, say the result of the war in Iraq has not been worth the cost in lives or money. Only 29 percent, the lowest figure yet, believe the war has been worth it. And just 31 percent of Americans now say the United States is winning the war.Worse for Bush, they think the goals of the war might have been a good idea; they just see Bush's leadership as a failure: the public remains split on whether the United States should have taken military action against Iraq in the first place: 49 percent think it was the right decision, 45 percent think it was not.Which means that much of the public doesn't think the Iraq war had to be a mistake. They just think Bush screwed it all up with his arrogance and incompetence. But the most interesting number is on Bush's handling of the economy. Despite all the statistical noise saying how well the economy is doing, the public isn't buying Bush's economic leadership: American's opinion of Mr. Bush's handling of the economy is also at an all-time low, 34 percent, while 60 percent disapprove, also a high of the Bush presidency.Are the Iraq disapproval numbers leaking over to the economic numbers? Partially, no doubt. Or maybe after years of job losses and stagnant growth, Americans aren't buying "mission accomplished" based on a couple of nice monthly job reports. Without having to know the details, they know the present economy is on steroids-- artificially low interest rates, massive federal deficit spending, and large infusions of military buying. And yet they all know that the job market is still enemic and wages are still under pressure from corporate union busting and global markets. So they don't buy the present economy as any kind of economic miracle. And 60% blame poor leadership by Bush. Put a fork in him. Bush is done. Posted by Nathan at May 13, 2004 07:57 AM Related posts:
Trackback PingsTrackBack URL for this entry: CommentsI'm beginning to wonder about the Bush team's motivation for going negative on Kerry now. Generally, incumbents don't emphasize negative ads, they do the "morning in america" thing because contentment is good for incumbents. Attacking Kerry certainly doesn't scratch the itch of Bush's negatives. But are they afraid of calling the question of Bush's leadership to the public? Are they worried about running "morning in America" ads when the Iraq situation is so black? Posted by: Nick at May 13, 2004 10:08 AM "Only 29 percent, the lowest figure yet, believe the war has been worth it" wow, that's a real crack in the armor. Do 57% still think Saddam was involved in 9/11? Posted by: buermann at May 13, 2004 11:31 AM I wonder if some of the economic disapproval is a psycholigical effect of gas prices rising at the same time the Mideast news is sinking. Posted by: Pete at May 13, 2004 03:01 PM Done? Over? Was it over when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor? Plenty of time until the election, but just in case I better start putting a couple bucks in the checkbook...just in case :) Posted by: jdw at May 14, 2004 12:32 AM Done? Over? Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Long time until November. Just in case tho, I better start putting a couple bucks in my checking account :) Posted by: jdw at May 14, 2004 12:35 AM "I'm beginning to wonder about the Bush team's motivation for going negative on Kerry now. " Bush's only hope to win is by painting Kerry as such a horror show that enough Americans will be frightened enough to vote for him despite his miserable record. Posted by: Kevin Block-Schwenk at May 14, 2004 12:38 AM Kevin, That may be the case. If so, it's a pretty sad statement for an incumbent's campaign. Obviously, incumbent presidents like to demonize or ridicule their opponents, but the first issue of incumbents is almost always "I'm in power, vote for me." This might be an effort to shore up some GOP base demographics, like the Christian right, who might be tempted to stray. But I don't think Bush & co. can do or say anything to build up an "Anyone but Kerry" feeling to match the "Anyone but Bush" sentiment already present on the left. Nor can they do or say anything to make the ABB folks dump Kerry. Posted by: Nick at May 14, 2004 10:22 AM I dunno about "done" -- whapt happens when they capture Osama bin October Surprise and carry him into the Republican convention hanging from a stick like Mighty Joe Young? Posted by: eyelessgame at May 14, 2004 11:17 AM Post a comment
|
Series-
Social Security
Past Series
Current Weblog
January 04, 2005 January 03, 2005 January 02, 2005 January 01, 2005 ... and Why That's a Good Thing - Judge Richard Posner is guest blogging at Leiter Reports and has a post on why morality has to influence politics... MORE... December 31, 2004 December 30, 2004 December 29, 2004 December 28, 2004 December 24, 2004 December 22, 2004 December 21, 2004 December 20, 2004 December 18, 2004 December 17, 2004 December 16, 2004
Referrers to site
|