Dubai was fearmongering by Schumer and a bunch of paranoid handwringers. Politically it hurt because the GOP in the Senate and House lost their nerve.
Deficits have never been a motivating factor for the average voter--even in '94 the average voter wasn't freaked out about the deficit. Even Reagan wasn't too upset: he said the deficit is "big enough to take care of itself". In jest, of course, but the point is clear: deficits are not a big factor in the mind of Joe Sixpack.
I think Bush's low numbers stem from immigration and gas prices. Not necessarily in that order. Of course, the factors you mentioned probably HAVE hurt him with his base but not the average person.
Coincidentally, it was just announced that the price of oil dropped in direct response to the President nailikng Al-Zarqawi.