Bush Approval Drops to Post-9/11 Low - But still high historically

Gallup ^ | June 7, 2002 | David W. Moore

[TomGuy]

POLL ANALYSES

June 7, 2002

Bush Approval Drops to Post-9/11 Low

But still high historically

by David W. Moore

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- The latest Gallup poll, conducted June 3-6, shows that 70% of Americans approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president, down seven percentage points from last week and the lowest level since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. The rating is still high by historical standards, and is 19 points above the level measured just prior to the terrorist attacks.

George W. Bush’s Job Approval Rating

The new rating comes after a week of intense news coverage about what the Bush administration knew about the terrorist attacks before they occurred. Virtually all of the interviewing was completed before Bush's address to the nation last night, when he announced his proposal for a Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security.

The poll also shows that the decline in Bush's approval comes from Democrats and independents, but not Republicans. Forty-nine percent of Democrats express approval, down 10 points from last week. Independents show a seven-point decline, from 75% at the end of May to 68% today. Republican approval is at 96% in the current poll, off one point from last week but just above the average level since March.

George W. Bush’s Job Approval Rating: by Party

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,010 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted June 3-6, 2002. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

[Jeff Chandler]

If you want to beat the lib-dems, you've got to play hardball.

Agreed. Do you think Trent Lott is willing/capable?

ROTFL and L and L

[Jeff Chandler]

It's hard to argue with your assessment. I pray you're wrong.

[Pining_4_TX]

Actually, he's spending our money on new agencies, steel tariffs (I know, technically it's not spending, but it will cost us!), welfare for farmers, prescription drugs for the likes of Warren Buffet, Americorps, and other big government boondoggles. You won't see me objecting to military spending, unless it's the kind of "compassionate warfare" that drags on for years without accomplishing an objective. Come to think of it, that kind of seems like what is happening in Bosnia and Afghanistan, doesn't it?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Maybe that's why he's doing quite well with democrat voters.

Good point. What good is having a Republican President if he stays in power by implementing the Democrat agenda?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

RE: 37

Agreed.

But it's not all Bush's fault. Other players: Congress, the media, various NGO's and institutions, many corporations, Public apathy and stupidity.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Bush's elegant aikido move, coopting the Democratic demands for a cabinet level Department of Homeland Security, effectively shut down the Democratic theme machine for the remainder of this electoral cycle. Now the issue will be: "...why are the Democrats conducting needless turf battles when American security is under threat.

Agree. It was a masterful stroke. The dims have gotta be in cold sweats by day and sleepless by night.

[dsutah]

But he still seems to have many Demos on his side, for
various reasons. Some are surprising. We had some
family come for a visit from Nevada. One cousin and my
brother were talking about water and power shortage
problems. The cousin said he was a Democrat, but even
he seemed to compliment Bush for wanting to do more
oil drilling. He seemed gung-ho in support for Bush in
ANWR. I mentioned that although he wanted to drill in the
ANWR; several people in Congress wouldn't even hear of
it. Because of course, the wildlife up there. But it is a flat
plain, with nothing on it. The cousin agreed. He said that
there is nothing there for the animals, and all they do is go
through it to go elsewhere.

So, it is safe to say that maybe he is more of a moderate
to conservative Democrat, probably. I do know he is quite
an avid hunter and fisherman. He's also an electrician, the
ones who go up to work on the power lines, so that would
explain his appreciation for Bush's stance on drilling.

[Kaslin]

The President is not worried about his poll numbers so why should we? We know he's doing a great job and I have confidence in Dubya

[rabbitdog]

I agree, and maybe we can start bombing Iraq as some have said on 9/11!!! President Bush would be just the one to do that too. Don't you just know that the democrats have already stocked up on (depends) waiting for the Iraq shoe to drop. I wouldn't be surprised at all if that would be the case.

[Jorge]

There is only .05% who vehimently oppose Bush, that they all post 24/7 right here on FR. :o)

LOL. I think you're right.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

DC's infested with career civil service, Daschle's holding up 50 bills already approved by the House....and judicial nominees. ACLU, PFAW have the ear of the mighty international press, universities and the Senate. The Trial Lawyers call themselves the 4th branch of the US Govenment. Who's responsible for "racial profiling" and political correctness, and who chooses to defend Johnny Jihad and the Gitmo prisoners' rights while damning their own country? Not the Bush administration. President Bush should be able to twitch his nose and rid the world of decades of downhill slide, years of disorganization and lack of morale in the military and Justice Depts.?

"Keep the government small!" shout the same people that demand we seal our borders. Ask the Coast Guard how difficult it is to locate anyone in the 10,000 or so islands off of our Florida coast alone.

Bush will not use EOs to force laws. How can anyone blame the Bush administration for 9-11, or expect Bush to turn around the monster that is this government overnight? Critics and "experts" ignore the other two branches of the "balanced" government along with the press, lawyers, the NGOs, former Presidents still meddling in international affairs, and the history, size and determination of our enemies.

If Americans blame the President for the next terrorist attack, we will have a national scandal far greater than the leftist-led, pro-Communist "peacenik" protests of the 60s. We'd have a lost citizenry too selfish for common sense, too lazy to rouse themselves until the enemy's at the door, too ignorant to understand the difference between right and wrong...maybe we already do.

[Starwind]

You might look at post #36 and chain forward to see the replies, re Trent Lott's leadership to play hardball.

I've not seen Reagan Man's reply yet to my response in #39, though I hope he yet will.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

If his numbers are that high among Dems and indys, he's sailing

Someone once quipped something like "A Republican is a Democrat who's been mugged". We got mugged on 9/11. I wonder if there would be a significant statistical correlation between this poll and one asking "Do you still feel affected significantly by the events of 9/11?". Or is it that people who didn't vote for Bush woke up and saw beyond their political affiliation long enough to stop their knees from jerking when asked polling questions?

[Common Tator]

I guess CFR and steel tarrifs are for the war effort too. Uh-huh.

I know one thing for certain. If bush's internal polling ever showed that you and people like you supported Dubya, Rowe would call an instant meeting to determine what they were doing wrong. He would know they were headed for instant defeat.

If you are against Bush, he has to be doing something right.

[Timesink]

And Bush will suffer dearly for it.

No he won't. The nation will rally around him again just like last time. If another terrorist attack happens just before the elections, it'll be a REAL "October Surprise" for the Democrats, when the have 1994 Redux served up to them on a silver platter.

[Common Tator]

The democrats and the media spent the better part of 8 years teaching the american people that making critical statements about a president was mean spirited, unpatriotic and something that only evil people would do.

It worked for Clinton.

The media forgot to tell the public that it only applied to Democratic Presidents.

The public doesn't know any better. So they think that people who make making critical statements about Dubya are mean spirited, unpatriotic and are doing something that only evil people would do. They don't like people who do that.

What part of Bush getting to live under the Clinton rules for Presidents don't you understand.?

[#3Fan]

Our elected representives are hogtied by our refusal to fight the power structure of liberalism: the media and education system. There isn't much they can do when the dumbified general public has "Republicans are evil" rammed into their heads from school-age to adulthood and every hour of the day.

[GuillermoX]

People "like me"?? lol, why don't you describe myself for me. What am I "like"?

And while you're at it answer for me which one of the following you support (Please be specific):

CFR,

Nationalizing Airport security,

60% increase in the Dept of Ed,

Amnesty for illegals,

open borders,

50% increase in foreign aid,

blaming global warming on humans,

13 week extension on unemployment benefits,

doubling farm welfare,

banning oil exploration in Florida, or

sending Treasury Secretary O'Neill to Africa with Bono.And weren't you bashing Clinton for making every decision after sticking a wet finger in the air?

Bush is no conservative, not even close, but go ahead and continue to delude yourself.

[ohioWfan]

96% approval rating by Republicans? I guess Rush's efforts to discredit the President through ridicule, have failed.

The American people are more discerning than I have given them credit for.