The 50-Point Drop: How Did Bush Fall This Far?

[dubyaD40web]

The 50-Point Drop: How Did Bush Fall This Far?
Bush had 90 percent job-approval rating in days following 9/11 attacks, now has rating in the 30s.

For many presidents in recent history, getting re-elected has been a mixed blessing. From Richard Nixon and Watergate to Ronald Reagan and Iran-Contra to Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, a second term is rarely another four-year honeymoon.

Ever since his inauguration in January — following yet another nail-biter of an election — President Bush has been on the receiving end of an almost unprecedented streak of bad news. How bad has it gotten? The president, who had a 90 percent job-approval rating in the days following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and held a higher rating three years into his presidency than Presidents Clinton, Carter or Reagan, is now staring at a rating in the 30s in the wake of the fall-out from the government's slow response to Hurricane Katrina, an indictment in the CIA leak scandal and a rising tide of discontent with the war in Iraq.

On November 20, at the end of his recent trip to China, the president was just trying to walk off a stage and he accidentally went to the wrong door, yanked on it and, through a forced smile, told reporters he was "trying to escape ... it didn't work." It was, of course, a simple gaff, but you can't help but wonder if Bush wasn't telling us a bit more than he let on.

It of course hasn't been all bad news for the president, but when you look at a timeline of his annus horribilis, you can't blame him for wanting to find a trap door to slip through. How did he go from historic highs in approval ratings to near-historic lows? We've chronicled some of the biggest bumps in the road over the past year to try and find out what has led so many Americans to change their tune about our president.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1516712/20051130/index.jhtml?headlines=true

(Check out their timeline. It's worth saving.)

[MrBenchley]

1. Another Republican President explained it clearly

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

[Tracer]

18. This quote is often attributed to Lincoln, but ...

... it was really said by P.T. Barnum (which makes a lot more sense).

[LizW]

2. Your avatar image is perfect! LOL! n/t

[gratuitous]

3. "An unprecedented streak of bad news"

Yup, if Chimpy just hadn't been unlucky, why, everything would be just as right as rain! Nothing is his fault. It's just a run of bad news. Things will get better, just you wait!

No, Chimpy's problems are the direct and proximate result of his own blundering handiwork.

[Benhurst]

4. Lesson to be learned:

if you resort to stealing not one election, but two, and depend upon spin and media whores to generate your support, you are likely to take a fall sooner or later.

[VaYallaDawg]

5. Time wounds all heels.

[Arugula Latte]

15. Heh -- that's a great line!

Did you think of that? :thumbsup:

[MADem]

6. I cannot believe that I am such a rare freaking genius

I never bought the monkey's line of bullshit, and I never met nine out of ten people who did, ever--and I was in DC, consorting with 'gubmint' types, when that clown was riding high. I think the poll numbers were GAMED. It's all in how you ask the question:

Q: Of a sharp stick in the eye, or George W. Bush, which meets your approval?

A: Uh, let me think...gee, I kinda need my eye, so I guess I will have to go with the Monkey!

Annus horribilus indeed, for the greatest anus ever to occupy the White House. May every annus he remains there be thus....!

[Bridget Burke]

7. My question: How did he ever get there in the first place?

I remember wondering how any Texan could vote for that half-bright frat boy--although we've had more than our share of idiot governors. And how so many Americans could put him within stealing distance in 2000.

I'm glad to see that people are finally waking up. But I get a bit nervous when noting how 9/11 boosted his popularity.

[hatrack]

8. Because he is, and always was, a hypocritical narcissistic dumbass?

That's my guess.

[underpants]

9. MSM is desperately trying to WILL Bush a 5 point bump

the limited bit that I checked out yesterday that was all I heard "He HAS to get a bump from this " "HAS to be 5 points" and so forth

[fshrink]

10. I couldn't care less. My concern is

how did he get more than 15% ever. How was he brought to power, including the specifics. These are vital questions for this country's future. These are the questions to investigate and to answer.

[booksenkatz]

11. He's been on the RECEIVING END of bad news? Excuse me?

He has CREATED the bad news out of whole cloth. Shame on this journalist for perpetuating this notion that poor Georgie Boy is a wittle victim of bad, mean people and bad, mean events. Fuck the media. Have I said that lately? Ah, well, I'll say it again: FUCK THE MEDIA.

[rocktivity]

12. I can explain how he went from historic highs to near-historic lows

HE FREAKING SCREWED UP!!!

It's appalling that even now there those who still insist that Bush is the unwitting "victim" of circumstance--as if he's had absolutely no control over his fate. And it's disturbing that MTV's younger audience is being fed this propaganda.

:headbang:
rocknation

[1932]

13. Povertina, Cindy Sheehan, Fitzgerald, Abramoff, Delay, Cunningham

[freedomburn]

14. and Harriet Meirs

[FrenchieCat]

16. The media finally did 1/2 of its job!

Now if they could the do the whole thing....Bush could be impeached!

Ain't gonna happen though!

[Roy]

17. It's not how he dropped so far....

It's speaks more to how skillful the media was in perpetuating the myth that his numbers were that high.

They are even now trying very hard to pump some life into this idiots' ratings. Looking for the slightest opening to announce 'THE BIG COMEBACK' is underway.

[hippiechick]

19. Well, I think the 90% was bogus to begin with ...

Probably more accurately in the low 70's ... basically because people were confused and scared shitless.

And the 38-40% is pretty much the diehard idiots that will approve of him no matter what he does, so the fall represents the 4 years folks have had to wake up and see what this clueless asshat's really like, and what his policies are doing to this country.

[Cha]

20. And I was in the exclusive

10% Club!

Living for this day and beyond, of course! :patriot: :patriot:

[FrenchieCat]

21. Hey....me too!

I was marching against Bush BEFORE 9/11! There only a couple hundred of us then....though!