Polls: Bush Remains Popular Amid Doubts Jan 24, 10:19 AM (ET) WASHINGTON (AP) - Many Americans don't agree with President Bush's policies on the economy and other domestic issues and they're getting less certain about his Iraq policies, polls suggest, but they like him, they trust him and they support his efforts to fight terrorism. For now, that is keeping his job approval numbers in the 50s, despite growing concerns on several fronts. "It does still relate to 9-11," said Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup poll. "They see him as a decisive leader trying to meet the nation's challenges." Four-in-five in a recent Gallup poll said Bush is willing to make hard decisions, and almost that many described him as a strong and decisive leader. He scores high with the public on trust. Those good feelings the public has about Bush personally could help him with growing challenges he faces convincing them he has the right approach on Iraq and on the economy. "These are challenging times, there's no doubt of that," said Karen Hughes, Bush's confidant who left the White House last year to return to Texas, but intends to be a senior adviser on his re-election campaign. "That's one of the things that the president is going to talk about in his State of the Union." He speaks to the nation Tuesday in the State of the Union address. Some say it offers him an opportunity to stem the erosion in the public's view of his economic and foreign policy. "The president has an opportunity to do two things that are necessary for the well-being of his administration," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. "One is to make the case on Iraq - where he needs help because support levels are slipping," he said. "It also would be good for him to improve confidence in the American public about the future direction of the economy and his stewardship of the economy." Bush's job approval was at 59 percent in a CBS-New York Times poll, 58 percent in the Pew poll and 54 percent in a new NBC-Wall Street Journal poll, all released Thursday. Several other polls have shown Bush's approval rating in the 50s, still relatively healthy but down from the 90 percent levels it reached after Sept. 11. "I think that's very strong support both by historical standards and given the fact that he did come through such a close election," Hughes said Friday on NBC's "Today.""I think President Bush has very deep and strong and continued support of the American people." While approval of his handling of the campaign against terrorism remains high, the number of people who approve of his handling of foreign policy was half in the NBC-WSJ poll. The number who approve of his economic policy has fallen below half in several different polls. Pollsters have suggested that any policy connected with Bush got increased support because of an extended rally effect after the horror of the terrorist attacks. While the public's bond with Bush personally remains, their enthusiasm for his policies is gradually waning. The public's favorable ratings have held up since Sept. 11, said political analyst Stuart Rothenberg "They like him, they trust him they think he's a decent person," said Rothenberg. "That reservoir of good will puts him in pretty good stead." He said the White House is clearly on the defensive now. "But given the four-year political cycle, if you're going to step in a hole, this is an all right time to do it," he said. He noted that's true if the economy starts to pick up and some of the international problems are resolved. Bush's approval rating contrasts with growing fears about the economy, said Gallup's Newport. "His average approval last year was in the 70s," Newport said. "Looking at these ratings, it is a drop, but look at the average ratings for presidents," which are in the mid-50s. Newport said he would consider President Bush in political difficulty if his approval rating drops to 29 percent, like his father's did at the low point in the summer of 1992. But it's not clear if Bush's personal popularity and his handling of the campaign on terrorism will withstand the doubts on the economy and foreign policy, especially the war on terror - the two dominant issues this year. "People are worried about both of these problems," Kohut said. "And many don't see signs of improvement." Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All right reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed
