Bush Approval Rating Falls to 28%, Lowest Level So Far, in Harris Poll

[ariesgem]

President Bush's approval rating slipped to new lows in the most recent Harris Interactive survey, but he's not alone: For the first time since the series began, all of the political figures and institutions included in the survey have negative performance ratings.

Of the 1,001 American adults polled online April 20-23, only 28% had a positive view of Mr. Bush's job performance, down from 32% in February and from a high of 88% in the aftermath of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The current rating is his weakest showing since his inauguration.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice garnered the approval of 45% of those surveyed, down from 46% in February, and approval of Defense Secretary Robert Gates slid to 29% in the latest poll, from 32% in February.

Among other individuals included in the poll, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) saw her approval rating fall to 30% in April from 38% in February, shortly after her swearing-in as the first female House speaker. Approval for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) slipped to 22%, from 23% in February but up from 19% a year ago.

Those polled gave Congress an approval rating of 27%, with the Democrats as a group pulling in 35% approval, compared with 22% for Republicans.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117752895118782401-uDkZU8lRXG_TdtfisPq050345ew_20070503.html?mod=blogs

[AndyA]

1. Our elected officials had better shape up, obviously the American

people are not happy with their job performance.

We want the war to end, it needs to end. DO IT. MAKE IT HAPPEN. NOW.

[glengarry]

23. The Graph shows Bush at 28% in Jan. 2007 (CBS)

[corkhead]

33. This chart reminds me of the intro to "Wide World of Sports"

"The Agony of Defeat"

[Duer 157099]

2. in other words, about 3/4th of Americans hate all politicians n/t

[Toots]

15. No they hate these particular politicians that won't follow America's wishes.

The American people want a change of direction, from the war, from the corruption, from the lost Rights we have endured in the name of terror, from the hatred espoused daily on talk radio, from massacres in our schools. We want a new direction and they don't seem to get it....We are tired of business as usual. We want Health Care, quality schools, safe (pet) food and water, clean environment without worry of global disaster. We want a change of direction but not elimination of politicians....I will support any politician that supports America instead of $$$$$$$...

[The Count]

3. HARRIS used to pad up the numbers the most...backwash is prolly less than 10%

by now for Harris to go under the permitted floor of 30%

[glengarry]

31. Fox, CNN, CBS, ABC, Time have higher average Bush approval then Harris

Take a close look at the graph above.

Here is the average monthly Bush approval since Feb. 2001 by pollster.

Poll NWK Fox CNN Pew Harris CBS ABC Time NBC AP Zogby ARG Avg
Avg 51.7 54.2 54.7 50.2 52.4 52.7 55.7 53.0 51.3 48.9 50.9 na 53.93
Med 50.0 52.0 52.0 48.0 50.0 50.0 52.0 52.5 49.0 48.0 49.0 na 51.11

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

4. What The F^&* Can The Democrats Do?

I can't believe the public gives them only slightly higher ratings than King george. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY???

Harry Reid is at 22%???????????? Pelosi at 30%?????

I'm getting sick and tired of the MORONS in this country.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

8. I don't think most people know who Harry Reid is

As for Pelosi, I've seen recent polls showing her approval as high as 55%.

[Dr Fate]

11. What can we do? We cant just blame the voters, that's for sure.

I'm not suprised that voters give DEM leaders a low rating- we can argue and make excuses all we want, but many voters expected us to be half-way out of Iraq by now.

My theory is that sincere DEMS are sharing the blame for the the way the Conservative DEMS are holding things up.

It's not fair that we ALL get the blame for the conservative & DLC type hold-outs, but if you lie down with dogs...

[AndyTiedye]

20. Dems are Down Because They Haven't IMPEACHED The Mad Cowboys Yet!

IMPEACH NOW

[Warren DeMontague]

5. Nuh-uh!!! Not according to James Pinkerton. Nope! He says Bush is getting a "boost"!

http://www.newsday.com/news/columnists/ny-oppin175174526apr17,0,7241215.column



Well, actually, the "boost" was comprised of his ratings not falling even faster.



Oh well.



Hmmm. I wonder how this 28% thing fits into that Thesis.



I guess that's what happens when you let your rectum have access to MS Word, James.

[TheCowsCameHome]

14. Jimmy needs a forehead reduction.

And a brain transplant.

[calimary]

36. LOL!

:rofl:

"I guess that's what happens when you let your rectum have access to MS Word, James."

I think I'm dying here! :rofl:

[Bucky]

6. Man, that's terrible news for Bush. I feel so sorry for Bush. What was God thinking electing him?

I'm remembering how he got in office correctly, right?

[bouwob1]

10. but the American people

gave him a mandate. And he made excellent use of it.

[wicket]

17. He received no mandate, he just consolidated power like a true thug

n/t

[AndyTiedye]

19. But Bush** DID Have a Man Date. His Name Was Jeff Gannon

[MidwestTransplant]

7. Impossible. Rasmussen has him at 38. Who you going to believe.

[Dr Fate]

9. Bush should break out the bath-tub gin, flappers, fur coats & penants-he's in "The 20's"!!!

Time to for old Bush to learn flag-pole sitting and gold-fish swallowing to boot!!!

JEEPERS CREEPERS-He's in the 20's!!!

[Ian David]

12. Doesn't one poll have Dick Cheney at 9% ? n/t

[saltpoint]

35. I'd heard it was single digits. Maybe we'll get a new poll pretty soon

with May on the calendar.

[TheCowsCameHome]

13. Should be 2.8

[progressoid]

16. Looks like he's neck-n-neck with Nixon.

Go George Go!

[malaise]

18. If Bush really loved America

he'd commit suicide.

[aquart]

22. But he doesn't.

[BlooInBloo]

21. The aggregate poll site has been updated with it...

[frogcycle]

24. I am appalled

that means that slightly more than one out of four people in this country APPROVE of this incompetent nincompoop lying heartless bastard's performance.

scary

[mvd]

25. And that's 27.99999999999999% too high

You'd think only Bush's friends and family would approve after what he's done.

But any drop is great news!

[LSK]

26. and when he vetos the Iraq bill, it will sink more

[frogcycle]

28. I think you're right

the number who are buying the "spin" that it is unconditional surrender and ties Petreaus' hands is shrinking fast

dems need a full frontal assault explaining what it really says

btw, that Iraq vet freshman congressman from Pa was fantastic last night - he spoke just before Murtha - got quite an ovation - they need to buy him time for an infomercial - dare bush to go toe-to-toe with him the ten 82nd Airborne killed the other day were his comrades

[LSK]

29. Patrick Murphy - I caught some of that

[StarryNite]

32. Yeah but

they will still say he sunk to a new low of 28%. How can he keep sinking but always wind up at 28%?:shrug:

[David Zephyr]

27. 28% = Impeachment Territory. Bush is toxic even to the GOP now.

Support the troops. Impeach this president.

[MedleyMisty]

30. But you see

if we impeached him, a few people might hit the button to vote Republican harder! We can't have that, you know.

Sorry, just freasking tired to death of DINOs ignoring the millions of potential voters who don't vote because they (rightly, in my opinion) feel disenfranchised and instead going after mythical swing voters by trying to out-Repub the Republicans. Sorry, but if people want Republicans in office they'll vote for Republicans.

If you actually stood up for people instead of corporations and impeached the worst freaking president in a history filled with bad presidents, you might find that you would get a lot more votes.

[David Zephyr]

34. I've posted for years here much the same thing.

While I am thrilled that "Independents" have temporarily seen through the smokescreens created by the GOP and are voting more with us than against us (last November is proof of that), I have posted here for years that when the majority of eligible voters don't exercise that right, that Democrats should target that demographic which tends to be poorer and of minority status...a natural base for us and our message.

Fighting over Independents is a fickle battle that can "swing" either way which is why they are called swing voters. In many ways, these are crazy and unpredictable voters who fly with Ross Perot and Pat Buchanan one day and then with the Democrats the next (usually only when unemployment is high). Still, around 19% of the nation fits into this irrational group who can change their minds in an instant from watching a commercial during American Idol.

So, while we cannot ignore that 19% swing, we can also --- as many of us on the Left suggest --- work harder at voter registration drives and participating in GOTV on election days and busing, where necessary, our voters to the polls.

Having hearing on articles of impeachment in the House of Representatives over the false rationale that led to over 3,000 American soldiers and Marines dying in a lost cause will not endear Americans to the Republicans and the war that the great majority has turned strongly against. It will only galvanize our base, demoralize the GOP base as revelation after revelation is aired openly, and it will also continue to re-reinforce the current belief among Independents that the GOP is "corrupt". Remember, "Corruption" along with the failed war in Iraq was at the top of reasons given by voters who moved to the Democrats last November.

Regardless of how sick and "tricky" the Republican machine can be, the stark fact is that the Democrats now hold nearly a Royal Flush while the GOP has been reduced to a very, very bad hand of cards and having to resort over and over again to bluff after bluff. And the public has caught on.

The president's 28% approval rating is the boat anchor that every Republican facing an election contest in 2008 fears the most. And this is why more and more Republicans are speaking out against Bush like Senator Smith, Senator Snowe, Senator Hagel, Senator Sununu and a host in the House.

28% is impeachment territory. Indeed, it makes for popular impeachment. This president is toxic.

Hearings, subpoenas and the shadow of impeachment (not removal from office) are the tools that we won back in November. To not use them would be idiotic.