Posted on 10/08/2005 7:35:16 PM PDT by neverdem
Poll finds fears about gas prices, Iraq, the economy and disaster costs
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Evangelicals, Republican women, Southerners and other critical groups in President Bush's political coalition are worried about the direction the nation is headed and disappointed with his performance, an AP-Ipsos poll found.
That unease could be a troubling sign for a White House already struggling to keep the Republican Party base from slipping over Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, Gulf Coast spending projects, immigration and other issues.
"Politically, this is very serious for the president," said James Thurber, a political scientist at American University. "If the base of his party has lost faith, that could spell trouble for his policy agenda and for the party generally."
Sentiment about the nation's direction has sunk to new depths at a time people are anxious about Iraq, the economy, gas prices and the management of billions of dollars being spent for recovery from natural disasters.
Only 28 percent say the country is headed in the right direction while two-thirds, 66 percent, say it is on the wrong track, the poll found.
"There is a growing, deep-seated discontentment and pessimism about the direction of the country," said Republican strategist Tony Fabrizio.
Supporters uneasy
Among those most likely to have lost confidence about the nation's direction over the past year are white evangelicals, down 30 percentage points since November, Republican women, down 28 points, Southerners, down 26 points, and suburban men, down 20 points.
Bush's supporters are uneasy about issues such as federal deficits, immigration and his latest nomination for the Supreme Court. Social conservatives are concerned about his choice of Miers, a relatively unknown lawyer who has served as White House counsel.
The president's job approval is mired at the lowest level of his presidency — 39 percent. While four of five Republicans say they approve of Bush's job performance — enthusiasm has dipped over the last year.
Party backing slips
In December 2004, soon after his re-election, almost two-thirds of Republicans strongly approved of the job done by Bush. The AP-Ipsos survey found that just half in his own party feel that way now.
The poll of 1,000 adults was conducted by Ipsos, an international polling company, from Monday to Wednesday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Today's Rasmussen Poll has the Prez's Job Approval at 48% Approve and 51% Disapprove. That is an improvement from from recent polling which got down to 43 or 44%. It equals his highest approval for September or so far in October.
55% say Tom DeLay is as ethical as the rest of the politicians....HeeHee!
Remember, Rasmussen got the Presidential election exactly right and state by state polls as well. He is very credible and polls everyday and his poll reflects the rolling 3-day average.
The rest are real men and are probably used to having to fight for what they get.
The only "wrong direction" I can see is allowing these fantasy writers of fabrication and manipulation an opportunity to change the course of our destiny in such a capriciously fallacious and egregious manner.
Anyway, why listen to a bunch of blowhards that supported without much thought or conscience Bill Clinton and his band of merry marauding miscreants.
Well, I hope you are right. The article which surfaced recently about the RNC and the White House forming a business coalition to try and push for looser enforcement and some type of unenforced guest-worker plan was discouraging though. I'm hoping, however, that you are correct and that it is on his agenda.
I think we essentially agree, let's just hope something gets done this year. And btw., the idea of treating the BP like the Coast Guard is a very good one. I have long believed that the BP should be allowed the same resources as a branch of the military.
What's your favorite flavor of koolaid?
I was called last night by the "Republican Issues Campaign." They asked, which of the following issues do you think is most important right now? Gave a list of five or six, several important...and to my shock, one of them was actually "illegal immigration."
I selected that issue (although some others were equally important), and was told..."excellent choice."
Then they asked me for a $50 or $75 donation to HELP THE REPUBLICANS CONTINUE TO PUSH THEIR AGENDA.
I told the guy to get back to me when they started acting like Republicans.
The Repubican Issues Campaign is run by Linda Chavez...totally pro-illegal. What a bunch of liars....insinuating that they were interested in doing something about the problem. And they wonder why we are disgusted with them.
That sucks. I can tell you, I wouldn't count on the feds.
I don't believe its all GW's fault, but I'm with every other conservative. I want more done!
I just don't want the President trashed to th nth degree over it. Like every other thing today, there is plenty of blame to go around.
You need to get to bitching at some local political events, make the governer call out the guard. He has the power to do that I believe.
Grape is the best, it goes great with tinfoil hats.
But you know that already, don't you?
They're going to solve it alight...by giving everyone that's here illegally 'guest worker' passes.
Like that will actually keep illegal criminals, gangs, and terrorists from coming over our borders. Yep, give some people a piece of paper, and the criminals won't know what to do!
Here's the real world for those who have such anger at Pres Bush. Just tell me you really believe the Congress is going to close the borders. Please tell me you really believe that if Bush would only tell them to close the borders, they would. Just tell me you really believe this Congress would vote a pure conservative to the SC. Just tell me you honestly believe that.
I trust pols even less than polls.
Hah. You're really far gone, right?
So that's the new attack today? "If you don't trust everything GWB has done, you're a member of the tinfoil hat brigade!"
And the pro-miers attack dogs sink even lower...
LOL... "A Day in the Life of"... Bout time conservatives come around...
You brought it up sweetie!
Lame Duck. Bush shot himself in the foot.
And as I turned around to get my checkbook... well they started pushing it.
But it wasn't the only question, right? I was polled this last week, the second time in my life. It was a slew of questions that can take 10 - 20 minutes.
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