A new AP-Ipsos poll has been released that shows President Bush's approval ratings have slipped even further, to 33% - the lowest in his presidency. "In the past six decades, only one president had a lower job approval rating six months before a midterm election - Richard Nixon in May 1974..." We all know what he was up to.
In such a polarized political climate, it's no surprise that large numbers of people vehemently disapprove of Bush. This poll is notable because it shows that the president's support on the right is quickly eroding as well. A total of 45% of conservatives now disapprove of Bush.
Overall, Congress gets an approval rating of 25%, with 65% of conservatives giving the Republican-majority Congress low marks. Here's a statistic that is certain to have Republican strategists shaking in their cowboy boots:
A majority of Americans say they want Democrats rather than Republicans to control Congress (51 percent to 34 percent).That's the largest gap recorded by AP-Ipsos since Bush took office. Even 31 percent of conservatives want Republicans out of power. (my italics)
What's worse, 75% of those polled said the country was heading in the wrong direction, including 60% of conservatives.
The GOP has six months to turn everything around lest they lose control of Congress in November. With the Democrats poised for their own revolution, a word of caution: be careful what you wish for. It's one thing to point out how the other guy's screwing everything up. It's quite another to try to come in and turn everything around. Jusk ask Newt.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Michael J. West
All believable (despite Fox News's poll that says Bush has gone up to 38%). Of course, the Democrats would be REALLY stupid to rest on those poll numbers and figure they can coast to victory on them. I hope that doesn't happen.
2 - Jet in Columbus
The Democrats need to get a message and stick to it, I saw that on Real Time with Bill Maher. I fell over laughing when Bill as Bush's press secretary was asked by Bush never vetoes anything coming out of his Republican congress.
Bill responded, "Because the President probably didn't know he could!"
3 - Fab
Whats with the fascination on polls? Everyone is so poll crazy. Worst thing about them is they are totally unreliable. If I remember correctly as an example, Kerry had huge polls number leading up and on the night of election, but only to find out he lost be a large margin. Polls are useless especially if the organization has its on agenda. If you are basing your opinion and thoughts on a system that has in the past been wrong time and time again, what does that say about you? I think its time to judge reality for yourself and quit having someone tell you what is.
MY 2 cents
4 - Michael J. West
If I remember correctly as an example, Kerry had huge polls number leading up and on the night of election, but only to find out he lost be a large margin.
Actually, Kerry's poll numbers said that he was running 50-50 with Bush. And Bush won 51% to 49%.
5 - zingzing
that's what you get when you stop paying attention to numbers and start eyeing the world.
6 - Pete Blackwell
I think it would be more fair to say Kerry had a small lead going into the elections and he ended up losing by a small margin.
No one said they were basing their opinions on the polls. The polls are supposed to be a reflection of opinions themselves. They can be inaccurate, centainly, but they're usually at least a rough picture of what's really going on. If they weren't, would the Republicans be freaking out about them?
7 - zingzing
eye-balling. sorry.
8 - Jet in Columbus
As I've said on many occasions, Polls only mean something when they're in your favor, otherwise they're just inaccurate and misleading.
9 - Pete Blackwell
Yes. Lies, damned lies and statistics.
Which is to say people can twist number to mean what they want them to mean. But the Republicans are sure going to have to twist on this one!
10 - Dave Nalle
The one statistic you didn't bring up is that the democrats in congress are even more reviled than the republicans, suggesting that they may not have much of an advantage in November.
Dave
11 - Blue Meanie
Well Dave, where do you find that statistic? Any of the polling data I've seen has shown overwhelmingly that people would rather see democrats in control of Congress. Now, this is always tempered with the "but not my guy" attitude, which is what the republicans have to hang their hopes on at this point in time.
That, and how much pork they can bring home between now and November.
12 - Jet in Columbus
Ahw, now leave Dave alone; he makes up his own numbers so he doesn't have to use footnotes!!!
13 - Pete Blackwell
Dave, I didn't bring that statistic up because it's not in the AP story. Where did you come up with that? I only ask because it flies directly in the face of something the article does say. To wit:
If 51% (which was enough to get Bush the presidency, remember) want Democrats running Congress and only 34% want Republicans, then your "statistic" that the Democrats are more reviled looks suspiciously like one of Disraeli's damned lies.Or was that just a demonstration of the kind of twisting Republicans are going to have to do?
14 - Dave Nalle
According to a Wall Street Journal poll Democrats rate at 33% approval and Republicans rate at 35% approval, while Bush rates a 36% approval.
That would suggest that we dislike all politicians, but dislike Bush less than congress and Republicans less than Democrats.
So there you are, BM.
Dave
15 - Jet in Columbus
splunge???? Must be a texan term.
16 - Pete Blackwell
And now it's disappeared. Strange things afoot.
17 - Dave Nalle
Sorry I couldn't respond faster for you guys, but I had problems with the comment editor.
See #14 for where I got the low rating for the Democrats. I'm sure other polls have different results, but clearly there are plenty of folks out there who don't absolve the Democrats of responsibility for their reprehensible lack of leadership during ther last 6 years.
And 'splunge' is from a monty python routine. I just used it as a space filler while dealing with the editor problem.
Dave
18 - Jet in Columbus
Is it me? Or is it pathetic to be defending ANYONE with a 36 percent approval rating. Sounds like the Smother's Brothers arguing over who mom likes best!
19 - Pete Blackwell
The WSJ poll would seem to contradict the AP one. All I can say is, the Republican strategists quoted in the AP article probably wouldn't be saying what they're saying if your take on things is right.
20 - Jet in Columbus
Pete, I bet Bush's global warming editors are at it again!
21 - Dave Nalle
I should point out that there's a very significant difference here based on the questions being asked.
People may dislike democrats more than republicans but still want them in control of congress, because they like to have different parties controlling congress and the white house.
So when you ask about democrats vs. republicans in general terms you get slightly better results for republicans. when you ask about controlling congress specifically you get a different answer because the issues being considered are different.
Dave
22 - Pete Blackwell
clearly there are plenty of folks out there who don't absolve the Democrats of responsibility for their reprehensible lack of leadership during ther last 6 years
Only to be outdone by the Republicans' reprehensible lack of leadership, which, since they have Congress and the White House, looks a bit worse.
23 - Jet in Columbus
I defy anyone to grammically diagram the last sentence of comment 21!
24 - Dave Nalle
Pete, regarding strategists comments, there are a LOT of republicans and their strategists who see this as time to distance themselves from Bush, so they are going to be saying negative things. The GOP is even less of a party of monolithic agreement than the democrats are.
Dave
25 - Jet in Columbus
all right before you say it grammatically
damned comments editors