Bush's Approval Rating Lowest Since 9/11

58% is a very high approval rating. I heard last night on Crossfire that Clinton was reelected with a 52% approval rating.

Keep trying, Timing

 

I won't be voting for Bush in 2004

 

Wow, I didn't know you did the poll and wrote the article, Timing! You are so multi-talented and connected! Color me impressed.

 

If Saddam runs away and Iraq becomes a democracy without a single shot fired I except that number to go up.

Or maybe not, who knows with these polls.

 

But if the war in Iraq fails to oust Saddam's regime, and our economy suffers then Bush is in real trouble. This war is costing taxpayers billions of dollars. This money could be used to revitalize the nation's struggling economy.

 

The economy could really cause his approval ratings to go down. At least that's how voters usually behave. Although I don't believe the "it's the economy, stupid" mentallity. Voters are smart enough to understand that there's more than one important issue.

 

9/11 helped Bush's approval rating? You've got to be kidding. That's some amazing stuff right there.

 

Timing - I think with the current economic and global situation almost any president would be happy with this approval rating.

found something that should actually make you happy.... I am sure you heard about it already though.

 

Wasn't there talk of taking over Iraq's oil fields after an invasion? Wouldn't this pay for the war...

 

wow..i couldn't agree more. think clinton's approval ratings would have been in this neighborhood if the economy sucked during his tenure? somehow, i doubt it.

 

There have been several presidents that have been (re)elected based upon the popularity of a war (FDR and Eisenhower come to mind). Other presidents (LBJ) have been destroyed by a war. I think Bush's popularity has been from his response to crisis and his leadership through and after it. 9-11 definitely made Bush, he wouldn't be the same president he is without it. Great leaders are born during great crisises.

 

... but Bush is not a much of a leader. Ohhh the paradoxes!!!

 

I saw an interesting poll last night: apparently, between 75-80% of those polled (can't remember the exact #) believe that Bush is a strong leader and that he is good at making tough decisions. At the same time, when they showed the part of the poll asking people if they would vote for him in the next election, 32% said definitely not. In other words, some of the people who think he's a strong leader still want him out of office.

OK, whatever. (unless you admire him as a person, or think he's good at what he does, but just don't agree with his politics)

 

Right... then who is? Not Clinton or Carter.

 

Another point to make here is that if you negate Bush's popularity due to his handling of post-911 events, then you must also negate the negative economic performance which is in part attributable to the financial impact of 911. You can't have both.

As someone well-versed in economics, I'm personally shocked the economy is doing as well as it's doing right now. Given the mistrust of corporate management, the financial and psychological impacts of terrorism, the unstable global political scene, rising energy prices, and the crash of the stock market bubble of the late 90's (the top was March 2000), it is amazing that this economy is growing. In the minds of the smart money on Wall Street, there is *absolutely* no question that business prospects began declining in the second quarter of 2000. While the recession did not begin until Q1 2001 (which is in large part due to the time lag between booking and actually receiving profits), March 2000 was without question the inflexion point in the economy. To blame a recession on a president who had only held office for *days* before the actual recession began is absolutely ludicrous. Nevermind the fact that no one person/politician can control the economy (not even Greenspan), but to make this an even more ridiculous argument, it takes months or *years* before an administration's policies actually affect the economy.

Bush's policies and proposed policies have provided nothing but stimulus to the markets. He has restored confidence to the markets, which appear to be stabilizing (albeit slowly). I interact with financial professionals on a daily basis. I have not spoken with one person that thinks Bush's stimulus package isn't an absolute home run for this economy. Not a single person. It is a shame that the irrational, emotional types actually buy into the class warfare argument. It is simply baseless.