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.
Why?
I disagree with him on various issues (immigration and spending), but I haven't lost confidence in HIM. I have no confidence in RINO's who are abandoning him because they are up for election.
I'd like to recommend FR go the way of say, "Rush 24". Lurk for free but pay to post. It might not keep out all the troll and liars but prevent a damn site more than post here now.
Moveon.org is accepting members.
Your recruiting? No thanks. I hate cliques.
wow, that is as clever as it was on monday of this week!
So are the sentiments on this thread.
You've been trashing Bush nonstop this week. Who's side are you on?
I am on the side of truth, justice, and the American way!
Advancing the conservative cause?
President Bush couldn't count on the Republican Congress to fight the good fight so he made a choice close to the vest.
For his calculated decision on how to deal with this he found out that he cannot count on his base either.
Sack sack of #$%$#% both turned out to be.
If your son is serving, you are, too. Thank him and thank you.
I am on the side of truth, justice, and the American way!
You?
Funny way of showing it.
By the "how dare you question the miers pick" crowd?
Yes, I agree.
Actually, they've slowly gotten worse, going from the original "I trust the president" to "those opposed to miers must be sexist" comments, and then "only elitists are opposed to miers" we've seen in the past few days.
Although, I'm shocked that I've only seen a few mentions that those questioning this pick were using "code words" to discredit her...you know, another liberal tactic some people here have adopted for themselves.
How so?
I back the President and the Republican Party.
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