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How Low Can He Go?

By TChris, Section Other Politics
Posted on Sat Sep 10, 2005 at 03:08:17 PM EST
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by TChris

Newsweek reports that the country's satisfaction with President Bush has reached a record low.

Only 38 percent of Americans approve of the way Bush is doing his job overall, a record-low for this president in the NEWSWEEK poll. (Fifty-five percent of Americans disapprove of his overall job performance.) And only 28 percent of Americans say they are “satisfied with the way things are going” in the country, down from 36 percent in August and 46 percent in December, after the president’s re-election. This is another record low and two points below the satisfaction level recorded immediately after the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal came to light. Fully two-thirds of Americans are not satisfied with the direction of the country.

The Katrina effect is evident in how Americans rate the president personally. In every category, the view of the president is at all-time lows for the NEWSWEEK poll. Only 49 percent of Americans now believe the president has strong leadership qualities. The same percentage of registered voters feel that way, 49 percent—down from 63 percent the week before Bush’s reelection. Only 42 percent of Americans believe the president cares about people like them; 44 percent of registered voters feel that way—down from 50 percent the week before the election. And only 49 percent of Americans and the same percentage of registered voters believe Bush is intelligent and well-informed—down from 59 percent before the election.

Newsweek suggests that the Republican loyalists still sticking by the president are unlikely ever to change their views. The poll numbers may have bottomed. Still, if elections were held today, Republicans would not fare well.

Reflecting the tarnished view of the administration, only 38 percent of registered voters say they would vote for a Republican for Congress if the Congressional elections were held today, while 50 say they would vote for a Democrat.

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    • How Low Can He Go? | 11 comments (11 topical)
    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#1)
    by Kitt on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:37 PM EST
    I won the office pool! I put 37%...no one else went into the 30's. I am so rich - and vindicated. Dan..Dan, the legal guy from MSNBC has dark circles under his eyes, but looks kinda cute with the beard stubble.

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:37 PM EST
    What pisses me off about this is that many of the people in the growing disapproval catagory were the same jackasses who were thrilled enough with Bush in Nov. 2004 to give him another term. What's a matter now? The silver lining starting to wear thin? Why didn't you listen to us when we told you it would just be more of the same for the second term, but no, for some asinine reason, you guys had to go ahead and vote Bush back into office, and now you're sorry, you don't think the country is headed in the right direction, well seriously, F you. It's you guys with your inability to let go of the status quo that has landed us all in this situation. I don't want to hear Bush voters talk about how dis-satisfied they are now, save it. Next time, when we on the left raise questions about a candidate's ability to govern effectively, don't call us childish names, listen! You might save yourselves from having to look like a bunch of sorry fools a year or two down the line.

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#3)
    by glanton on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:37 PM EST
    Don't be fooled, guys. When 2006 rolls around they'll start talking a lot about boys kissing, or someone's nipple, or flag burning, or some brain-dead woman, and the numbers will change among the usual suspects. Rednecks hate being out of work and getting killed for corporate interests, but apparently they hate the Other much, much more.

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:38 PM EST
    Posted by Fenria: "What pisses me off about this is that many of the people in the growing disapproval catagory were the same jackasses who were thrilled enough with Bush in Nov. 2004 to give him another term." For the record, the election was STOLEN. Bush did not win Ohio, and not only Ohio. Diebolding is stealing votes in the millions, while the bribed and corrupt election officials do their best smirk-imitation. As for "I don't want to hear Bush voters talk about how dissatisfied they are now, save it." I totally disagree. We need to have those people coming out and saying what they have realized, because we need REPUBLICAN pressure for impeachment. Your anger will have to find another outlet. We need vindication and justice, and I don't care if people were fooled, or fooled again, just as long as they are enjoying a moment of clarity, let it be. Let them open their mouths and canaries fly out, singing roundelay. Let them sing out of tune, let them sing shyly. But let them sing.

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#5)
    by scarshapedstar on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:38 PM EST
    Preach it.

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#6)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:38 PM EST
    This isn't over by a long shot.

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#7)
    by Edger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:38 PM EST
    Fenria:
    ...many of the people in the growing disapproval catagory were the same jackasses who were thrilled enough with Bush in Nov. 2004 to give him another term.
    True enough Fenria. And your anger and fustration is justified, I think. I understand it, at least. But... at the very least it's good to know that they are smart enough, and open minded enough, to learn and change their opinions if circumstance, new knowledge, and facts, warrant it. Isn't that what we've been asking of them, here?

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#8)
    by roger on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:38 PM EST
    49% believe that W is intelligent and well informed? On what planet?

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#9)
    by desertswine on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:38 PM EST
    It must be time to scare the people with the spectre of devil worshipping homosexuals again.

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#10)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:39 PM EST
    or scare the people with another terror attack.

    Re: How Low Can He Go? (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:41 PM EST
    The rednecks aren't really the problem, glanton (you and I will both be dead before they start voting dem again). It's the people who aren't rednecks but are silly, or stupid enough to think that there's a real parallel to be drawn between semen on a blue dress and lying to go to war, recession, mismanagement, outing CIA agents for political retribution...etc. Paul in LA, You're right. The election was stolen, but that doesn't change the fact that MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of people voted for this yahoo. If he goes into the (2006) election with a 40% approval rating and 72% of the country saying that we're on the wrong track, the repubs won't dare pull any diebolding. The greatest trick they ever pulled was making the public think that the election was totally legit. They need to save their ace for close races. They wouldn't risk exposing themselves.

    How Low Can He Go? | 11 comments (11 topical)