Reagan and Clinton both went on from their low points to get reelected, and included among these unpopular fellows are several presidents who are now considered among the best of recent years. Even Truman, despite being Mr. Unpopular, has had a real nostalgic comeback in the assessments of historians.
It was not so long ago that the President's approval rating soared nearly to an almost unattainable 70% range and the media was writing stunned articles unable to comprehend how he could be so popular given all the terrible things he was doing. I guess he was due for a fall. No president except for Eisenhower and Kennedy has been able to keep their rating consistently above 40% for any extended period of time, and even Bush's most ardent supporters will admit that he's no Jack Kennedy and certainly no Ike.
But if, with ratings up to what seems like an historically normal range — people are rarely enthusiastically positive about their leaders — he keeps making speeches that hit a positive note as he's been doing recently, Bush might be in a position to give GOP candidates a bit of a boost in November.
Article comments
1 - Nancy
Good comments. I, too, am frequently stunned by how people can utterly disregard the facts of Bush's actions & the subsequent fallout/results, in order to accept at face value the generally false & incredible pronouncements of him and his flunkies, including his handler, Cheney. Are Americans really that abysmally stupid & gullible, to accept at face value the spoutings of ANY politician? It would seem to be so, unfortunately for this nation & our future. Maybe a sweeping pandemic of bird flu would be a good thing: it would seem most people are just too goddamn dumb to live (and breed) let alone vote.
2 - Georgio
Nancy I couldn't agree with you more..I actually like Bush to go on TV because he always says something stupid but the American ppl just don't get it,,when he says "I know you are asking me WHY we went to war my answer is BECAUSE SADDAM WAS A THREAT"...now any intelligent person knows that is not true and besides how many times has he changed his position on why he went to war ?..and then Cheney tells Russet that he would do it ALL EXACTLY THE SAME WAY TODAY...God if those two statements are not enough to convince the public that their leaders are delusional than I don't know what it will take to wake them up..If I was the Democratic leadership I would run ads everyday just saying ..I WOULD DO IT ALL EXACTLY THE SAME WAY along with their ugly faces.
3 - Nancy
I don't know what the hell is wrong with the DNC or the congressional leadership; the GOP has been HANDING them material to kick them from here to Petaluma - the war, Osama (still free), no WMDs, 9/11, various lies & BS, corruption, Katrina - the list goes on & on & on - and the stupid shits just sit around & vacillate with their thumbs up their collective butts & let Karl Rove define the issues-! This is why every time I got a call from someone panhandling from the DNC I hung up on them in a rage: I have no use for people who throw away opportunity after opportunity, or who can't get their act together enough to USE the loads of excellent material they've been given, f'chrissakes.
It goes without saying, I have no use for the GOP whose behavior & reckless stupidity/cupidity engendered these issues, either.
We have GOT to get another party in the US.
4 - Dave Nalle
Nancy, what comments are you referring to? Your comment is the first one, and I find it hard to believe that you think it's good that Bush's ratings are up.
Dave
5 - Nancy
I don't. I was referring to your comment about the media writing stunned articles that Bush's rating were up around 70% (6th PP, 2nd PP from the end). I get stunned, too, when people change their minds based on some BS speech a politician makes instead of the facts, of what's actually going on. Where are peoples' BRAINS - ?!?!?!? Obviously, most Americans don't have any, is my point, because a lousy speech doesn't make me change my mind or opinion, regardless of WHO makes it. Talk is cheap.
Anyway, good article, as ever. I like your writing, even if I don't always agree with it.
6 - Martin Lav
Karl Rove and the rest of BushCo. handlers have him back on message. "This is a War on Terrorism and it's the most defining moment in this century and we must use this drumbeat to continue to strike fear in the American people".
It's just like was written in this article by Dave: Apocalyptic Dreams for the New Millenium.
Make the people in the middle believe that BushCo. and his republic party will keep them safer. The Clintonista's and their party will NOT do what's necessary to secure the american people. In fact, as Dave pointed out in his article: Apocalyptic Dreams for the New Millenium, they will actually encourage more home grown terrorism in this country if they are voted into power.
Keep beating that drum and the polls go up.
It's the war stupid.
7 - Lumpy
There's a war on?
Who's playing?
8 - MCH
"There's a war on?
Who's playing?"
Not you, Lumpy.
9 - Dave Nalle
Make the people in the middle believe that BushCo. and his republic party will keep them safer. The Clintonista's and their party will NOT do what's necessary to secure the american people. In fact, as Dave pointed out in his article: Apocalyptic Dreams for the New Millenium, they will actually encourage more home grown terrorism in this country if they are voted into power.
This bears little or no resemblance to anything I wrote in my article.
The Democrats will certainly try to do something about terrorism if they get into power. It will make Bush's attempts to protect us look harmless and reverential towards the Constitution by comparison. And it's when they go to that excess and begin limiting free speech and free assembly and taking private property that the militias and domestic terrorists will start to cause trouble again.
Dave
10 - Martin Lav
"This bears little or no resemblance to anything I wrote in my article."
What? this:
"The Democrats will certainly try to do something about terrorism if they get into power. It will make Bush's attempts to protect us look harmless and reverential towards the Constitution by comparison. And it's when they go to that excess and begin limiting free speech and free assembly and taking private property that the militias and domestic terrorists will start to cause trouble again."
Dave
Not by wire tapping or checking your bank accounts huh? But the democrats will seize property.....from whom and for what?
And there's free speech now?
HA! Not if your a patriot there's not.
Free assembly?
What no more football rallies at the Austin High School Gym?