The water is going down slowly. The (**'s) popularity-sinking like a stone

[Up2Late]

(The full headline from The Independent (U.K.) wouldn't fit, so I had to edit it a little, full headline is below)

11 September 2005 13:25

The water is going down slowly. The President's popularity is sinking like a stone

By Andrew Gumbel in New Orleans (The Independent)
Published: 11 September 2005

The Bush administration's handling of Hurricane Katrina - lambasted on all sides of the political spectrum as disastrously slow if not also staggeringly insensitive - has sent the President's approval ratings plummeting.

A new poll published by AP put George Bush's popularity at below 40 per cent for the first time since he took office almost five years ago. Intriguingly, only 52 per cent of respondents said they specifically disapproved of his handling of the crisis along the Gulf coast. But 65 per cent - dismayed by soaring petrol prices and a whole panoply of other policy disappointments - said the country was heading in the wrong direction, up from 59 per cent a month ago. Even before the majority of the bodies have been fished out of the foul-smelling waters in New Orleans, the hurricane has triggered a knock-on political storm of rare intensity.

President Bush at first told his emergency management chief, Michael Brown, that he was doing "a heck of a job", only to relieve him of his hurricane relief responsibilities on Friday.

Mr Brown, and the administration, had endured days of intense criticism about the dearth of federal aid for days after Katrina hit. And Mr Brown only confirmed the widespread impression that he was completely unsuitable for the job by telling reporters in flood-stricken Louisiana moments after being ordered back to Washington: "I'm going to go home and walk my dog and hug my wife and maybe get a good Mexican meal and a stiff margarita and a full night's sleep."

<http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article311790.ece>
(more at link above)

[JoFerret]

1. Plummet

is a good word.

[callous taoboy]

2. Read 'em and weep, freeper trolls.

Like a turd settling in the bottom of his cesspool.

[Up2Late]

3. kick n/t

I guess the LBN Mods didn't think this was news. :kick: :mad:

[agincourt]

4. I wish I could feel more elated,

but some of these same polls show Ronald Reagan beating W in an election today. Reagen is just a version of Bush that knows how to act more repectable. Reagen tried to make FEMA a shadow government rather than a disaster relief gov't agency. He probably would have also cut funding for NOLA dikes and levees. If people wanted real reform this would be great, but if they just want a W who gets over better, I don't see much progress.

[Up2Late]

5. Personally, I wish more people would realize that...

...GHWBush (41) WAS the President even when he was still only the Vice-President, and was actual running the government. Regan was just the guy who gave the speeches.

If you remember, when Bush(41) took over from Reagan, he "Stayed the Course" because they were already his policies.

[agincourt]

6. I remember in 1988, the media made a hulaboo,

that Reagan might not endorse Herbert Walker Bush as the GOP presidential canidate. Yeah ,sure. Fat chance that it might happen. Hinckley Jr. might have been released if Ronnie didn't "lay the hands" on slimey old George.