Bush's Approval Rating Drops Sharply (Bush approval: 59%)

Washington Post ^ | 07/12/03 | Richard Morin and Claudia Deane

[Pokey78]

Public support for President Bush has dropped sharply amid growing concerns about U.S. military casualties and doubts whether the war with Iraq was worth fighting, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Bush's overall job approval rating dropped to 59 percent, down nine points in the past 18 days. That decline exactly mirrored the slide in public support for Bush's handling of the situation in Iraq, which now stands at 58 percent.

And for the first time, slightly more than half the country -- 52 percent -- believes there has been an "unacceptable" level of U.S. casualties in Iraq, up eight points in less than three weeks.

Still, only 26 percent said there had been more casualties than they had expected. Three in four say they expect "significantly more" American dead and wounded.

[Jorge]

Bush Jr., who has none of Clinton's charm

Clinton's "charm"? Bush's disarming, honest personality is much more appealing than Clinton's... Bush is considered far more trustworthy personally than Clinton ever was...contrary to your enchantment with him.

not to mention economy,

Not to mention he has brought us out of the recession Clinton left us.

..and who is even more inarticulate than his father,

Actually Bush has gotten nearly unaminous rave reviews for speeches when they have really counted...easily higher marks than his father ever got.

will go down like a ton of bricks, once his only plus factor, the War on Terrorism fades in voters' minds or is seen to be ill run.

Right. We've been hearing this from the liberal left since 9-11.

So far every one of your talking points seems to have come straight from the Demoncrat play-book.

[Mudboy Slim]

"Bush's overall job approval rating dropped to 59 percent, down nine points in the past 18 days. That decline exactly mirrored the slide in public support for Bush's handling of the situation in Iraq, which now stands at 58 percent."

While I support Dubyuh's handling in Iraq, my approval level vis a vis his Milquetoast domestic performance has dropped considerably of late...I wonder what percentage of his loss in popularity is from conservatives who don't like Dubyuh's performance on DrugFerWealthyOldFolks and domestic spending?!

Dubyuh's treading on thin ice if he thinks he can take fiscal and social conservatives fer granted as he flirts with the muddledmiddle, IMHO.

FReegards...MUD

[dagnabbit]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/944121/posts

You know better.

Bush Jr.'s massive amnesty plans are well known having been floated over and over again since he took office. The overt amnesties were derailed by the Saudi muslim terrorist attacks on 9-11, and by Congressional action since, led by Tancredo in the House and Byrd in the Senate.

The covert amnesty, by way of matricula card, is however, moving along just fine - just as the Bush administration hoped when they previewed it with the Mexican Govt. in meetings in Mexico City.

[Jorge]

"Well Bush has been in office for almost 3 years and I'm still waiting to see this "massive" amnesty for illegals. When is this supposed to happen?"

Jorge, it's not like he hasn't tried, repeatedly.

Really? Then perhaps you can show us some documentation to back of your claim. Show us where Bush has "tried, repeatedly"

Meanwhile I can provide documentation that proves you are wrong..that Bush has come out in opposition to blanket or any "massive" amnesty for illegals.

Bush: No Amnesty for Immigrants

Politics/Elections Front Page News Keywords: NO BLANKET AMNESTY
Source: Associated Press
Published: Thursday August 23 1:52 PM ET Author: SANDRA SOBIERAJ

As for amnesty, Bush was unequivocal:

``There will be no blanket amnesty for illegals. I've said that point blank. I will say it as many times as I need to say it.''

[dagnabbit]

...straight from the Demoncrat play-book.

You're confusing me with Bush's policies.

[Jorge]

Bush Jr.'s massive amnesty plans are well known having been floated over and over again since he took office.

Then I ask you to show me some documentation to back up your claims.

I've already posted news articles with quotes from Bush Jr. clearly stating his opposition to any blanket amnesty...or "massive" amnesty that you claim.

So until you can show some proof of your claims it will appear that you don't know what you're talking about.

[Jorge]

Jorge, it's not that important to me to convince you.

In other words you can't back up your claims. Just as I thought.

[ntnychik]

Pres. Bush will come back to a 4-week disappearing act on the ranch--not helpful. Even if he does three press briefings a day, he'll still be perceived to be on vacation, just after having one in Africa. Emphasis on perceived.

[dagnabbit]

Yawn. Start with my link to another thread on FR today. It's about a White House spokesperson floating, on record, the most recent massive amnesty scheme. And if Bush's Clintonesque "no blanket" bit of word-parsing gives you comfort, fine. Take comfort in it.

[Jorge]

PS. Jorge, you forgot the part where I asked what has Bush ever done to discourage illegal immigration.

BUSH CRACKS DOWN ON BORDER BREACHES
New York Post
1/15/02 | BRIAN BLOMQUIST

May 15, 2002 --
WASHINGTON - President Bush yesterday signed a border-security law that restricts travel visas on visitors from terrorist countries, strengthens enforcement and requires schools to keep better tabs on foreign students.

The law also adds 400 investigators and inspectors to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and requires foreigners to carry tamperproof passports and travel visas with fingerprints or retinal scans by 2003.

"America is not a fortress, nor do we want to be a fortress . . ." Bush said at a White House bill-signing ceremony. "But on the other hand, we can do a better job of making our borders more secure, and making our borders smart."
Bush said the new law "will help us keep the country secure" in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. "This is good work," he added.

The law authorizes the INS to create a computer system that keeps track of foreign students who enter and leave the country, as well as their status in school. The law requires students and schools to give frequent reports on whether the student is enrolled and attending class. "We must know who's coming into our country and why they're coming," Bush said. "We must know what our visitors are doing, and when they leave."

[af_vet_rr]

The news media is aggresively pushing the story of how bad things are in Iraq. I don't know the real story there, but I'm not very hopeful.

Yep. For all the press-bashing we do (and they certainly deserve it), they aren't stupid. They saw how well Vietnam sold, how it got people to watch TV. Vietnam made many a career for many of our "elder" journalists today. Vietnam also got Richard Nixon elected to the Presidency.

If we are not careful, Iraq will get a liberal elected. I've seen people on FR basically say it's not a big deal if a few Americans die every week, if a dozen or so are wounded. Putting aside the fact that it is a big deal to the families of the dead and wounded, this is a big deal to the rest of America. If we hear our leaders talk about how we won the war, and how everything is alright, and five minutes later we are hearing about the latest attack on Americans, they will stop trusting the President and his cabinet, and with an election around the corner, that's a bad thing.

I'm not going to go into details, not just because of 'loose lips', but because some here on FR have family members in Iraq, but I'm hearing bad things from friends who are in Iraq. I don't think that it's my position to post them and so I won't. It has made me less optimistic than many.

Hopefully I won't be thought of as racist for saying this, but many in the Middle East understand violence and power and little else. We have shown too much compassion at times, and that can make us look weak in their eyes, and they get bold. The flip side - if we become even more aggressive (and we are very aggressive right now, even if it's not being reported), then they get pissed off and attack - either way, I am thankful I'm not in Iraq.

[Jorge]

And if Bush's Clintonesque "no blanket" bit of word-parsing gives you comfort, fine. Take comfort in it.

I'm still waiting for you to show me where "no blanket" means anything other than "no blanket".

Unlike you I take Bush at his word and don't look for alternate meanings for words unless I am given good reason.
You've provided no such reason.

You in fact have been the one to employ "Clintonesque" techniques with your * it depends on what what the meaning of "no blanket" is.

[ARCADIA]

He ought to get the hell out of Africa and come home, and concern himself with this country, our economy, our borders and sovereignty, and figure out what the hell we are suppose to be doing in Iraq....Him watching the freaking elephants do the bump, aint helping him at all back home.

Well said. I hope the Republican party is actively engage in finding a viable alternative; they may need one.

[Jorge]

You are a phoney, with red herrings for proof. What has the man done about Illegal Hispanic immigation?

You are the real phoney.

I have produced documented proof of my claims...including quotes from Bush that support what I have said about his position on the issues you have brought up.

You on the other hand have made nothing but accusations against Bush...without so much as a SINGLE shread of documentation to back up ANYTHING you say.

You sound exactly like the Democrats who do absolutely nothing but shreik lying hysterical accusations at Bush and have NOTHING to base them on.

You Bush bashers are a sad lot.

[dagnabbit]

You're absolutely correct. 100.00 percent of hispanic illegal aliens will not get an amnesty. It will not be a "blanket" amnesty. Whew. Problem solved. Thanks! For a second there I though Bush was really soft on Hispanic illegal immigration.