Newseek Poll: Chimpy's new low: 30% job approval, post-SOTU

[npincus]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16840614/site/newsweek/



Jan. 27, 2007 - President George W. Bush concluded his annual State of the Union address this week with the words “the State of our Union is strong … our cause in the world is right … and tonight that cause goes on.” Maybe so, but the state of the Bush administration is at its worst yet, according to the latest NEWSWEEK poll. The president’s approval ratings are at their lowest point in the poll’s history—30 percent—and more than half the country (58 percent) say they wish the Bush presidency were simply over, a sentiment that is almost unanimous among Democrats (86 percent), and is shared by a clear majority (59 percent) of independents and even one in five (21 percent) Republicans. Half (49 percent) of all registered voters would rather see a Democrat elected president in 2008, compared to just 28 percent who’d prefer the GOP to remain in the White House.

Public fatigue over the war in the Iraq is not reflected solely in the president’s numbers, however. Congress is criticized by nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of Americans for not being assertive enough in challenging the Bush administration’s conduct of the war. Even a third (31 percent) of rank-and-file Republicans say the previous Congress, controlled by their party, didn’t do enough to challenge the administration on the war.

Still, the new poll, which examined the preferences of registered Democrats for their party’s presidential nomination in 2008, shows that Sen. Hillary Clinton, an initial supporter of the war, has a 20-point lead over junior Sen. Barack Obama (55 percent to 35 percent) and a 34-point lead over former Sen. John Edwards (63 percent to 29 percent). Obama has a marginal seven-point lead over Edwards (46 percent to 39 percent). On the other side of the aisle, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain are closely matched at this point among Republicans: the mayor is preferred over the Arizona Senator by a statistically insignificant margin of 48 percent to 44 percent. When each GOP frontrunner is matched up against former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, it is no contest. Giuliani beats Romney by 55 points and McCain outpolls him by 50.

With about half (48 percent) of voters nationwide saying their opinion of Bush will be at least “somewhat important” in determining who gets their vote in ’08, the two Democratic frontrunners have narrow leads over their potential opponents. In a mock election, Clinton tops McCain by six points (50-44 percent) and barely edges out Giuliani by three (49-46 percent). Obama’s lead over both McCain and Giuliani is by the exact same margins (48-42 percent against the former and 47-44 percent against the latter). The races are tighter with Edwards as the Democratic candidate: the former vice presidential candidate edges out McCain by four points (48-44 percent) and is in a statistical dead heat with Giuliani (46-47 percent).

[CJCRANE]

1. Time to go.

The whole world is tired of * and his Neo-Republicans.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

2. Here's a nice big house I'd love to see the Chimp move into

I don't think there'll be too much disagreement at DU concerning this house.

[bluerum]

3. I would be willing to work 2 jobs just to house him there! eom

[Swamp Rat]

5. Guantanamo would be more appropriate. n/t

[hashibabba]

6. Absolutely!! I think he should learn a little bit more about the

torture he's putting *war prisoners* through. In fact, let's just clear out Gitmo and put the whole Bush Administration there.

[creeksneakers2]

4. The Rasmussen also

shows no SOTU bounce for Bush.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

7. What is amazing is that 30% of people still approve of the little chimperor

The man and his 30% "base" are a fucking menace to society.

[Bicoastal]

8. But, but--Fox News showed that 85% thought his speech was "Excellent"!

What gives, here--could the "Fair and Balanced" network be somewhat--gasp--biased?

On another note, I think these numbers prove that Gore should run. If Clinton, Obama, and Edward's numbers are that close to Giuliani's, it may be time to enter the only Democrat capable of completely obliterating the competition