All time low

[ldzppln]

Bush Job Approval Hits Another All-Time Low

rasmussenreports.com
Tue May 22, 1:26 PM ET

After three straight days at the lowest level ever recorded by Rasmussen Reports, President Bush's Job Approval ratings slipped another point to another new low on Tuesday.

Just 33% of American adults now Approve of the way that George W. Bush is performing his duties as President. Prior to this past week, the President's ratings had never slipped below 35% and had only reached that level for a day or two at a time. Now, his Job Approval has been at the 35% level or below for six straight days. Rasmussen Reports updates the President's Job Approval ratings every day by noon Eastern.

The President's ratings tumble each time immigration reform dominates the news because he loses support among his base—just 66% of Republicans now give him their approval (that matches the lowest level of support he's ever received from his base). Even as the stock markets set new records, just 36% of investors approve of the President's performance.

Only 14% of Americans now Strongly Approve of the way Bush is handling his duties. Forty-eight percent (48%) Strongly Disapprove (that is the highest level ever measured). Early in the second term, the number who Strongly Approved was essentially even with the number who Strongly Disapproved.

While immigration is the issue pushing the President's ratings to new lows, Iraq has been a steady drag on the President's ratings. Most Americans believe that history will judge the mission in Iraq to be a failure.

In the race for the Republican Presidential nomination, today's update shows that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has gained ground over the past week to pull within three percentage points of Senator John McCain (news, bio, voting record). Rudy Giuliani remains the frontrunner. It is likely that the immigration issue will have a significant impact on this race in the coming weeks.

The Democratic Presidential nomination contest is all about New York Senator Hillary Clinton with a ten-point lead while others jockey for position behind her. In general election match-ups, Clinton is now even with Giuliani and leads all other Republicans.

Overall, 17% of American voters say it is Very Likely Clinton will be elected President in 2008. Nine percent (9%) say the same about Senator Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) (D). As for Republicans, 7% consider both Giuliani and McCain Very Likely to win Election 2008.

Most Americans disagree with the Pope's comments on denying communion to pro-choice politicians. But, Pope Benedict XVIstill receives generally positive ratings, especially among Catholic Americans.

On the lighter side, American Idol fans think Jordin Sparks should be crowned as this year's champion.

Rasmussen Reports updates the President's Job Approval every day and conducts ongoing surveys measuring the attitudes of Americans on the news of the day. Recent surveys have asked about the Pope's comments on pro-choice politicians, results of the French elections, the DC Madam, gun control, and the Supreme Court decision on partial-birth abortion. The latest updates can be found on the Rasmussen Reports home page.

Rasmussen Reports also regularly tracks public attitudes towards Congress, the War on Terror, and other topics. Rasmussen Reports also continuously updates favorability ratings and general election match-ups for all Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates along with ratings for Members of Congress, Other Political Figures, and Journalists.

Rasmussen Reports releases updated polling data on the Democrat Nomination Process every Monday and on the Republican contest every Tuesday. Results for the Generic Congressional Ballot are updated monthly.

Rasmussen Reports is an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information.

This national telephone survey of 1,500 Adults was conducted by Rasmussen Reports over the past three nights. Margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.

[ldzppln]

It's no suprise Bush's name doesn't come up very much during the republican presidential debates.

Bush approval rating hits new low
Updated 5/8/2006 1:42 PM ET
By Susan Page, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — President Bush's approval rating has slumped to 31% in a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, the lowest of his presidency and a warning sign for Republicans in the November elections.
The survey of 1,013 adults, taken Friday through Sunday, shows Bush's standing down by 3 percentage points in a single week. His disapproval rating also reached a record: 65%. The margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.

"It is a challenging political environment," acknowledges Tracey Schmitt, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, "but we are confident that ultimately voters in November will recognize that a Democrat Congress would simply not be equipped to ensure either economic or national security for our nation."

Bush's fall is being fueled by erosion among support from conservatives and Republicans. In the poll, 52% of conservatives and 68% of Republicans approved of the job he is doing. Both are record lows among those groups.

Moderates gave him an approval rating of 28%, liberals of 7%.

"You hear people say he has a hard core that will never desert him, and that has been the case for most of the administration," says Charles Franklin, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin who studies presidential approval ratings. "But for the last few months, we started to see that hard core seriously erode in support."

Only four presidents have scored lower approval ratings since the Gallup Poll began regularly measuring it in the mid-1940s: Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and the first George Bush. When Nixon, Carter and the elder Bush sank below 35%, they never again registered above 40%.

Truman twice sank into the low 30s and then rose into the 60s, but the third time his rating fell, it stayed below 40% as well.

"Historically it's been pretty devastating to presidents at this level," Franklin says. Even Republican members of Congress are "now so worried about their electoral fortunes in November that he has less leverage with them than he normally would with his own party controlling Congress."

[ldzppln]

Bush's approval rating throughout the years.

Note the spikes in approval:

September 11th, 2001 - America attacked by terrorists.

March 19th, 2003 - Bush launches US-led attack of Iraq.

December 13th, 2003 - Saddam Hussein captured.