Poll: Americans' approval of Bush creeps upward, but lags approval of Rice

CNN ^ | August 4, 2006 | n/a

[tlb]

(CNN) -- President Bush's job approval rating continues a slow climb, according to poll results released Friday, but the majority of Americans still disapprove, even as they approve of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's performance.

Fifty-nine percent of 1,047 Americans participating in the telephone poll, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for CNN, said they disapprove of how Bush is handling his job as president. Forty percent said they approved.

The approval numbers are a jump from previous polls. In April, only 32 percent said they approved of the way Bush was handling his job, and 60 percent disapproved, and his approval numbers has been creeping upward since then.

Asked about Rice, 62 percent said they approved of her job performance, and 59 percent said they were "confident" or "somewhat confident" about her ability to handle the Middle East situation.

[tlb]

Probably correct as Rasmussen has the same results. The "creeping" comment got my attention though. The inconsistency of Condi having high approval for carrying on the policies set by the disapproved of President isn't addressed.

Rasmussen: Forty percent (40%) of American adults approve of the way that President Bush is performing his job as President. Fifty-nine percent (59%) disapprove.

[MJY1288]

Yet Condi serves at the pleasure of the POTUS,

More of a reason to ignore POLLS

[NorCalRepub]

....cause Condi can play the piano and Bush can't...seems reasonable to me.....

[hsalaw]

The inconsistency of Condi having high approval for carrying on the policies set by the disapproved of President isn't addressed.

I agree. This makes no sense. Could it be that the poll oversampled dems, as usual, whose "hate Bush" knee jerk reaction contributes to his lower rating?

[Canard]

When you consider that there are a few posters on FR who think that Rice is saying and doing things that are odds with what Bush wants or thinks (yet, oddly, he never feels the need to correct these or pull her into line, hmm), it's not really suprising that there could be that kind of contradiction amongst the general public as well.

[jmc1969]

Inconsistency of Condi having high approval for carrying on the policies set by the disapproved of President isn't addressed.

---

America usually loves those in the position of Secretary of State, just look at the approval ratings for the past 7 Secretary of States'.

America also rightly or wrongly doesn't blame Rice for Iraq.

[Northern Alliance]

Any headline in any way positve about Pres. Bush has to have a 'but' in there.

[bnelson44]

Rasmussen has been averaging 40% for awhile now

[Uriah_lost]

Approve/Disapprove polls are crap if there is nothing about why they disapprove. How many want him to be more aggressive with the GWOT or Congress, how many think he is too aggressive? These sort of differences make all the difference in the world.

[MJY1288]

LOL, Bush plays these Jackels in the MSM like a cheap guitar

[NorCalRepub]

Thank God for Karl Rove......

[Prophet in the wilderness]

The MSM and Liberals will be shocked and stunned in disbelief if and when President Bush give the order to strike Syria and Iran with success and accomplishes the goal of defeating the major players in terrorism, and his poll number will go through the roof.

[LibWhacker]

Slow climb, my eye. It's going up at the same absolute rate as it went down earlier. MSM had nine articles about everyday when he was sinking in the polls... "Bush in precipitous decline, blah, blah, blah..." But now that he's going up, there is only one article every nine days about his "slow climb," lol.

[MJY1288]

You are dead wrong, The MSM will label him as a war monger and a baby killer.

History will be very kind to GWB

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Well, your correct, they will label him that, but, MSM will be shocked and stunned to see Americans responding in the Polls in the positive light, and President Bush's number rise in the polls if he were to order strikes against Syria and Iran, but, having the usual responses from the MSM and the Liberals is predicted and expected.

[Fresh Wind]

Maybe it's her boots. Bush wears cowboy boots, and they probably have ranch stuff on them.

[ClaireSolt]

Do you think he would do this, " President Bush give the order to strike Syria and Iran " without an agonizing 15 month congressional debate?

[Eagles Talon IV]

"Fifty-nine percent of 1,047 Americans participating in the telephone poll, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for CNN, said they disapprove of how Bush is handling his job as president. Forty percent said they approved.

Notice how these results are reported? Instead of mentioning his APPROVAL ratings which have climbed, they report his DISAPPROVAL ratings which are higher. You can bet if his approval numbers where in the 30's they would have reported them first.

[Big Indi]

Sir I did a 16 month tour in Iraq. With all due respect, sir, if you could see what I have seen, you would not even think about promoting more wars. You might think you are wise and tough with your talk, but believe me sir, you are only a soft fool.