Bush Approval Slips in Pew Poll

[Nambe]

Approval ratings for President Bush, seeking re-election just over a year from now, have slipped to pre- Iraq war levels amid growing concern about the sluggish economy, according to a poll released on Thursday.

Bush's overall rating dropped from 58 percent last month to 53 percent while 37 percent of respondents said they disapproved of the way he was handling his job, according to a Pew Research Center survey of 2,528 Americans.

The disapproval percentage is the highest negative rating the president has received since taking office nearly three years ago, the poll organizers said. ---

The Pew poll found a sharp rise in the number of people -- to 57 percent -- who now say the economy, not terrorism, is the most important presidential priority. Terrorism was identified as the most pressing problem by 27 percent.

According to the survey, perceptions of the U.S. military operation in Iraq have become more negative, but a large majority, 63 percent, still support Bush's decision to use force to topple Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. ---

[qanda]

1. There was a new CNN poll

That the FReepers were touting that had * back up to 60% approval rating-- now I find that very hard to believe. Maybe they conducted the CNN poll on the same day that the pictures of Milly and Vanilly were being paraded across every tv around the world. Anyway, even 53% sounds too high to me. Every single person I know dislikes the squatter in the White House and I've overheard more than one conversation about how terrible of a job * is doing.

[wabeewoman]

5. "Every person I know dislikes bush..."

I wish this were true but I just got an email from my repug cousin with a cartoon trying to justify the invasion because of mass graves of Iraqi. I sent it back with: as opposed to the graves of civilians we've killed and some remarks about WMD and imminent threat. The point is the die hards are hanging on still. And the religious fanatics are still convinced bush is 'godly'. I suppose its too much to hope to reach the repugs. But if we can reach all the thinking people we might squeek through with 52%. And I do think they are starting to see the light.

[qanda]

6. As far as religious fanatics go

I am very religious. My mother is the pastor of a pentacostal church and most of the people I am around are involved in the church. None of them agree with *. Now, we are black and that seems to make a big difference, but even my more conservative relatives are absolutely against *.

[stanwyck]

8. Thanks for reminding people

that the idea that religious people are conservative Republicans is nonsense. The most spiritual people I know are liberals. The New Testament is the blueprint for liberal thought.

[Iris]

10. "The New Testament is the blueprint for liberal thought"

Ah, yes! Forgetting that almost cost me a spirtual life.

[LauraK]

13. Either rw repugs live under rocks somewhere...

or they are all homebound.

[diplomats]

7. Yes, that CNN poll is posted on

www.pollingreport.com now.
It kind of bummed me out but their polls tend to be higher. Also, the Pew poll interviewed a lot more people and was conducted over a longer period of time which should improve its accuracy.

[dusty64]

2. These polls seem to be

one of the more accurate ones, although I suspect taking the MOE into account jr. has slipped to 50 or below. I still can't believe that many still support what is going on in Iraq, but I guess that will slowly change as reality sets in. No one really wants to think of the evil that squats in the WH.

[I AM SPARTACUS]

4. a Pew spin-off is the American Enterprise Institute, Neo-Con Club Delux...

...always makes me wonder about the messages in Pew Research's polls...

[samsingh]

3. are 53% of the people

stupid or just not paying attention? Still to high, but consistently in the low 50s now.

[0rganism]

12. my take: 30% really do believe he's doing the right thing, 30% are asleep

You've got 30% who would vote for bush* even if he sprouted horns and tail on national TV whilst sodomizing a billygoat.

There's another 30% who would never vote for bush*, whose opinions we often see expressed on DU.

Yet another 30% are essentially asleep, and respond predictably to that which enables or disturbs their comfortable mass media-induced slumber. E.g., tax cuts and well-run social programs enable it, terrorism and unemployment disturb it. These are the so-called "swing voters."

That leaves 10% for the naturally erratic, terminally undecided, paranoid schizophrenics, and/or senile. No one knows what they'll do.

[DemNoir]

9. Let us recall

That the PEW poll had bush ahead by 18 points the day before the 2000 election

[karlschneider]

11. And hopefully he will slip in some pew at the pig farm as well.

:evilgrin: