Daily Kos

Bush's Ratings Plummet to All Time Low

by Al Rodgers

Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 04:32:35 AM PDT



PRINCETON, NJ -- Bush's approval rating has dropped to an all time low of 45%, according to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, and a 7 point drop in one week.  This is the lowest such rating Bush has received since taking office.

His previous low was 46% in May 2004, during the emergence of the Abu Ghraib Scandal.

In the prior Gallup survey, conducted last week, Bush's job approval rating was 52%. The timing of the seven-point drop suggests that the controversy over the Terri Schiavo case may be a major cause.

Also the public was more dissatisfied than satisfied with the country's direction by a margin of 21 points; 59% dissatisfied to 38% satisfied - a 14 point increase in the margin of dissatisfaction compared to last month's survey.

More Below the Fold


Pew Research Center


CBS News/New York Times

The new poll found the largest drop for Bush came among men, self-described conservatives and churchgoers.

Gallup's Tuesday-night poll shows a majority of Americans disapprove of the way Bush has handled the Schiavo situation.

"You have to wonder if people didn't feel that the president and the Congress couldn't be spending their time working on Social Security and other problems," said Charlie Cook, editor of the non-partisan Cook Political Report.

"Any politician pushing a Social Security privatization plan that cuts benefits and increases the national debt by $4.3 trillion would see his or her approval ratings tumble," said Josh Earnest, Democratic National Committe spokesman.

Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,001 national adults, conducted March 21-23, 2005.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/content/?ci=15373

Man, would I like to see the look on the faces of Fineman, Borger, and their craven, ass-kissin' Ilk when they see these numbers

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Permalink | 179 comments

  •  Nice work (4.00 / 11)

    But his ratings are not low enough! I won't be happy until we pull a Kyrgyzstan on his ass.

    Don't Tread On Me

    by BobX on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 04:33:39 AM PDT

  •  one question (4.00 / 2)

    are those polls still determined by people who are locked into landlines?

    or have they figured out a way to include cell phones in their polls?

    in his haste to placate the greediest and the enemies of individual rights (and beliefs), Bush has gotten himself into  a fine mess.

    can a new terror alert be far behind?

    should we start a betting pool on the same?

    by fauxreal on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 04:41:19 AM PDT

  •  Rethug self-implosion? (4.00 / 6)

    We can only hope, right?  With the winger wackos in front of Schiavo's hospice crying that there will be  Hell to pay for Republican politicans who did not fulfill their promises (thus spoke Randall Terry), and the rest of us wondering what will be next, well, I can only hope that things continue on this track--at least politically.  

    I think I'll uncork a bottle of sparkling grape juice (sorry, no alcohol for me) if the disapproval numbers get down to about 35%.

    An American Abroad for Barack Obama

    by SneakySnu on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 04:41:22 AM PDT

  •  America, party of 300 Million, your handbasket is (4.00 / 16)

    Ready.

    Ask Three Poeple a Day: What Noble Cause?

    by Random Excess on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 04:41:30 AM PDT

  •  Damn. (4.00 / 10)

    The new poll found the largest drop for Bush came among men, self-described conservatives and churchgoers.

    Just...damn.

    Rise Against.

    by georgia10 on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 04:57:14 AM PDT

    •  I think that should read (4.00 / 6)

      Hot diggity damn! :))

      ;p

      My signature beat up your signature.

      by Stand Strong on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 04:59:55 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  Any reasonable man in his right mind (4.00 / 6)

      seeing how they are treating Michael Schiavo and imagining himself in the same situation should be very disturbed by all of this.

      The corporate media are destroying progressive Democrats. The Clintons are destroying the Democratic Party.

      by lecsmith on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:24:34 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  It gets better (4.00 / 5)

      A contact of mine knows Republican activists in Tennessee.

      They're incensed at Bush and the GOP leadership over the Schiavo matter; they see it as an utter abandonment of constitutionalism for the political branches to get involved on this.

      Prediction - Congress is about to go bye-bye, Pubbies.

      Watch out for the giant ground sloths.

      by cskendrick on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:42:44 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Party discipline (none / 0)

        DeLay and Frist have kept such strong party discipline in votes that all Republican House members can be said to be DeLayBots and all Republican Senators can be said to be FristClones.

        With the right shove, they will all go down together.

        -6.00/-7.18

        by TarheelDem on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:49:57 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      •  Dems must show themselves as viable alternatives (none / 1)

        They must come out swinging, and take stands against this unbelievable violation of the constitution...and really, really point out the obvious and total hypocrisy of this situation.

        Then the Senate's back into responsible non-necrophiliac hands again.

        "Think. It ain't illegal yet." - George Clinton

        by jbeach on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 07:53:42 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  asdf (none / 0)

          The Democrats seem to have been fairly quiet on all this - none of the crying and wailing and gnashing of teeth that the Republicans have been coming out with about the decisions about the reinsertion (or otherwise) of T.S.'s feeding tube and no outrage about the intrusion into the sanctity of marriage and the intrusion into States' Rights (a Republican mantra, right?).

          Why aren't they making more of a fuss about this?  If they are worried about the political fall-out, perhaps they should take a look at the polls, all of which seem to suggest an overwhelming disapproval of the blatant opportunism and political point-scoring by the Republicans.  They could score some big political points by pointing out the hypocrisy of the Republicans (let's keep this woman alive, even though she's been in a vegetative state for years, whilst supporting the death penalty and various wars) and the intrusion on the rights of citizens.

          The federal government should never have gone near this case.  Republicans like to claim that they are opposed to big government, but the truth is a slightly different story.  They love big government.  It allows them to impose their flawed morals and dubious ethics (demonstrated admirably by Mr DeLay) on the rest of the population, whether the people like it or not.

          It all stinks.  When will people wake up and realize what the Republicans are up to?  They are frauds, liars and cheats.

          "You're Bush's brains, Karl? I was expecting a much smaller man."

          by VincentVega on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 09:02:45 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

    •  I'd like their names and phone numbers (none / 0)

      So we can call every one of them and say, "We told you so, you stupid bastard."

      I am an Edwards Democrat.

      by ThirstyGator on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:37:08 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  Don't get too excited. (none / 1)

      Men, self-described conservatives and churchgoers are not suddenly going to vote for the Communist Faggot Traitor Terrorist Party (what we call the Democratic Party) just because they're starting to realize Duhbya is a fuckup.

      --- Read Dear Leader's Daily Thought

      by grytpype on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 09:12:40 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Back where they belong. . . (none / 0)

        Yeah, but at least they won't be voting Republican anymore. If we can put these people back on the fringe where they belong, with the Constitution Party and who knows what else, maybe we can save the true Republican Party and ourselves at the same time.

        I can't believe that anything is bad enough to make me root for the GOP, but the neo-cons and wingnuts. . .they've done it.

        by auxiliarykitty on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 12:06:43 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  •  Only problem (4.00 / 5)

    Is that it's March of 2005 and there's no election until November of 2006.  Plenty of time for them to get some anti-gay or anti-heathen or anti-whatever initiative on every ballot to ensure that they pick up seats, and plenty of time to redistrict again while we are sitting there saying we won't do the same thing in Illinois or the other states where we control the entire state govt and could squeeze out a few more seats.

    -Fred

    Democrats *do* have a plan for Social Security - it's called Social Security. -- Ed Schultz

    by FredFred on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:08:16 AM PDT

    •  Yeah, that occurred to me (4.00 / 4)

      We've got to be excited that Bush is stinking it up royally with just about all his initiatives right now, but it would be worthwhile to compare his current polls with the ones he had in 2001.

      Everything was going wrong for him then, too -- Chinese jet crisis, Kyoto protocols, Int'l Criminal Court, Missile Defense were all getting him enemies internationally and not really winning him friends at home. Obviously, the numbers weren't as bad as they are now, but they were pretty bad.

      Then, boom, 9-11, the war in Afghanistan, the buildup to Iraq, and we get historic mid-term Republican victories in the Congress.

      As Democrats, we've got to keep the powder dry and our eye on the moving target. Make the bastards pay for the Social Security mess-up, and exploit the Schiavo error to the max. Play up the bugman's ethics. Maybe Howard and Harry are up to it. Terry and Tom fucked it up bad.

      Yes, We Can

      by litho on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:16:45 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  They did it right there (4.00 / 4)

        I commented on this below, but notice the DNC spokesman, extending the story, spreading the stink around the entire Bush message right now. Sure Schiavo is killing them right now, but good ol' Josh Earnest smears the sh*t all over the SS privatization plan, too. When the brush fires start combining, then you get a real forest fire. It hasn't happened yet to Bush ever (each piece of bad news has been contained), but if they start combining into an overall "unpopular" feel toward the whole GOP brand ... then we're cookin' with gas.

        disclaimer: I'm John Kerry's Internet Director

        by BriVT on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:25:54 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  SS is the key (4.00 / 4)

          At least for now, the Republicans seem to have totally missed the public pulse on it. If the Dems act effectively now, and you're right so far they're doing a good job, we should be able to reduce Bushie's credibility permanently.

          Still, those bastards are slick. Like I say, keep the powder dry and remember this is a marathon, not a sprint.

          Yes, We Can

          by litho on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:30:46 AM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          •  Plus (4.00 / 3)

            Remember that so-called political capital?  It's just like Clinton's budget surplus, Bush managed to turn it into a deficit in record time.  I wonder if the strong disapproval on the Schiavo matter means SS privatization is dead.  What pol in his right mind would take that on now?

            McCain: Less jobs, more war.

            by Unstable Isotope on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:41:49 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            •  Good point (4.00 / 2)

              But we still need to make it stick to the Republicans in 06. Let's win those damn mid-terms, send Delay and Hastert home! (Or at least back into the minority...).

              Yes, We Can

              by litho on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:43:46 AM PDT

              [ Parent ]

            •  Key phrase in your post: (none / 1)

              "in his right mind."

              I don't think I even need to comment on that (but the phrase "batshit crazy" does come to mind).

              "The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." Bertrand Russell

              by Emerson on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:53:00 AM PDT

              [ Parent ]

            •  Is Bush still conducting (none / 0)

              his 60-day blitz on the SS piratization campaign?

              Schiavo has been sucking so much oxygen, I am not hearing about this anymore. Is he still doing his drive-by shootings around the country against Social Security?

              by pvallen on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 08:59:07 AM PDT

              [ Parent ]

              •  Bush is having trouble filling seats (none / 1)

                on his tour. He was in New Mexico on Tuesday, at a Social Security "pep rally." The Carpetbagger Report said turnout was a problem, even with popular John McCain as his opening act and free tickets:
                Unlike most other presidential appearances, the event inside the darkly lit Kiva Auditorium was sparsely attended, with hundreds of empty seats.

                Apparently the auditorium only holds 2,350 people, so that does not bode well for the Prez. Ha.
                link to Empty Seat report

                "Be a long-distance runner"

                by eleanora on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 09:22:28 AM PDT

                [ Parent ]

              •  Cheney's packing them in (none / 0)

                That crowd-pleasing Cheney is out there on the SS trail now. I gather it would be normal to have a transcript of such sessions at Whitehouse.gov, but strangely they aren't there. Here's a report of the exciting sessions, a veritable tsunami of grassroots support building.

                Thanks to Atrios for posting this link.

                by rppa on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 11:08:46 AM PDT

                [ Parent ]

          •  Ethics are the key (4.00 / 3)

            I really think if the next big story involves a major ethical lapse by a top Republican, this could be a key. SS is a good meta-issue to color the next few months, but if the Delay stuff suddenly explodes ...

            Think of it this way, SS showed people, "hmmm, maybe they're not working for me." Then Schiavo comes around, "hmmm, they're definitely not working for me." Then Delay comes around (or, dare to dream, a Plame explosion), "That's it! I now know who they're working for. Lobbyists and anyone else who can give them money. Out with them!"

            disclaimer: I'm John Kerry's Internet Director

            by BriVT on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 07:07:52 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

          •  SS is the key-- to turnout. (none / 0)

            Particularly in a midterm election, turnout is critical.  Republithugs will use Schiavo to drive turnout of their base. SS is the best cause Dems have to offset this, because the people most riled about SS are older, often organized, and they VOTE.  

            One task for our side is to keep it bright and clear in voters minds that the Rep. goal is, bottom line, to dismantle SS.

            by pecos on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 07:47:49 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

      •  unmentioned (great) fallout for us right now (none / 0)

        is the salutary way this might affect the fight over judicial nominees.  Right now, while the GOPer rank & file is pissed at BushCo is a great moment to point out  that sane judges in the courts saved us from the lunacy of Delay's Congress & Jeb's counterparts in the states--

        Reid/Pelosi can really make hay with this in order to shut down the whole issue, imo.  If they play their cards right.

        by Tulip on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 08:45:23 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    •  Yes, this drop could be temporary. (4.00 / 2)

      But in the meantime they've used up that political capital Bush was talking about in November.  Now Social Security "reform" has even less chance of going through, and its probable defeat will reduce Bush's power even further.  And now the nuclear option probably wouldn't win either.

      The influence of the [executive] has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished.

      by lysias on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:05:04 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  There will never be a vote on SS (none / 0)

        It will be completely forgotten, just like 15 billion for aids in Africa, Mars, etc. Some new crisis will catch the eye of the pubs, and they will all squirm their way through. Read 1984 for their master plan.

        Do Pavlov's dogs chase Schroedinger's cat?

        by corwin on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 08:25:58 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    •  Good point, but ... (none / 1)

      There ARE elections, every month, all over America.  We need to do a better job of painting local Republicon candidates for dog-catcher, school board, city commission, etc. as clones of Delay and Frist.  They've done a great job of that over the years -- they treat every local Dem candidate as if he or she was working off marching orders direct from Ted Kennedy -- and it's time for us to do the same.

      I am an Edwards Democrat.

      by ThirstyGator on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:41:17 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  anti-gay initiative, or a terrorist attack... (none / 1)

      one dem line of attack i'd like to hear-- Bush is wasting $ and time on "reforming" a perfectly functional SS system, while homeland security is underfunded (a hundred bazillion cargo ships enter the US uninspected, etc).

      maybe connect the obvious politicization of Schiavo to the politicization of 9/11 and terror warnings, etc, darkly hinting that GOP would welcome a terrorist attack, because they think it would help them politically.

      I would consider this argument dirty and unethical if I didn't think it was true.

      by bluesteel on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 08:09:34 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  Paging Mr. Jazeera... Mr. Al Jazeera... (none / 0)

      Plenty of time for Rove and Dick to get another bin Laden tape to "surface"...

      Everyone needs a laugh. Especially you. - NYComedyRadio.com

      by ThatsNotFunny on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 08:44:07 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Imagine how pissed Rove is with Delay.. (4.00 / 3)

    ...and Frist and Sen. Man on Dog and Peggy Noonan and Jeb and the Fundies....they chained a LEAD weight to Shrub's neck and took him down 7 points in one week....just unheard off.

    And lets remember, Gallup (along with ABC/WaPo) is notorious for giving Shrub his best ratings.

    McCain: He's Constipated and Ready to GO

    by Al Rodgers on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:10:20 AM PDT

  •  Shyyyyyt (none / 0)

    I accidentally unrecommended this diary. How might I change that unfortunate event?

    My signature beat up your signature.

    by Stand Strong on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:13:49 AM PDT

  •  The Thrill is Gone!! (none / 0)

    We need to write a bunch of LTE on this because believe you me the MSM will not be reporting this!

    The right winger media will suppress this information.

    by wdmosely on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:15:10 AM PDT

    •  They suppress LTEs, too (n/t) (none / 0)

      Electing conservatives is like hiring a carpenter who thinks hammers are evil.

      by bwintx on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:28:42 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  Better idea (4.00 / 4)

      Write letters to the media to show your disgust at their role in creating this circus.  The media is showing some signs of awareness that they are losing this one (ratings, ratings, ratings), which means they've come out of their persistive vegetative state if only for a moment.

      By letting the media know you're disgusted with all the players, Congress, the Pres and the media for taking away one woman's dignity, offending the majority of Americans with their exploitation and for replacing news with nothing more than the worst of tabloid television.

      by debraz on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:56:08 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Time for... (4.00 / 4)

    ...another "Terra Alert"?

    by stevetat on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:16:02 AM PDT

    •  terror alert (4.00 / 2)

      you know, at this point another terror alert might just convince even the red-staters that this president has done nothing to make the US safer because he's been spending so much time protecting marriage from gay people and insinuating himself into the middle of intimate family decisions.

      by getmeoutofdixie on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:20:58 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  Yep (none / 0)

      Some big distraction is coming soon. I wonder if it will be today, at the end of the news cycle? Or if they'll take the hit and let this one wind down over the weekend, and start in waving some bright shiny thing on Monday?

      "Think. It ain't illegal yet." - George Clinton

      by jbeach on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 07:59:07 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  If there is another terror alert (none / 0)

        or another 'tape' from Bush's good friend Osama, the dems should start yelling about all the things Bush has not done to make us safer.  Just uping the code color to "Ernie" or "Bert" does not make for a safer America.

        Yell it out loud.  And put those graphs that show everytime Bush needs a refresher, the color codes increases.  This time let's not buy the koolaid.

        by GrandmaJ on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 08:12:26 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    •  by the way (none / 0)

      The explosion at the BP plant is still unexplained.

      Is terrorism involved?  I have no idea, because no one is saying one way or the other.

      In this day and age, isn't that a bit peculiar?

      I think this administration likes to raise fear levels with terrorism threats, makes people look to them for protection, but any hint that they are perhaps not keeping us or making us any safer gets swept under the carpet.

      A pox on them all....

      by brighton on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 08:04:23 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Congratulations Josh Earnest! (4.00 / 7)

    "Any politician pushing a Social Security privatization plan that cuts benefits and increases the national debt by $4.3 trillion would see his or her approval ratings tumble," said Josh Earnest, Democratic National Committe spokesman

    Was that a Democratic spokesman staying on message? Was that message discipline? Was that taking the bad news for the President on one matter and tying it around his neck on another?

    Be still my heart.

    disclaimer: I'm John Kerry's Internet Director

    by BriVT on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:18:28 AM PDT

    •  You gotta love... (none / 0)

      The name, too!  "Josh Earnest"...the man's a walking metaphor.

      Yes, for a long time we have sorely needed Dems who know how to tie individual issues together and bring them all into focus with sharp general messages... and then stick the shiv in the Repugs at every opportunity.  This is NOT the time for timid, wonkish policy responses.  The smartest Dems -- like (love him or hate him) Bill Clinton can move from wonkish to big themes gracefully, back and forth, like Ninja political masters.  But they never leave the touchstone of the big themes for long.  

      In short, I have always wanted to vote for a man named Earnest.  (nerdly English class reference)

      JOHN McCAIN = George W. Bush's 3rd term.

      by chumley on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 07:47:43 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  A "Good Friday" for pluralism, but WAIT (4.00 / 3)

    ...this obviously means a "Terror Alert" is not to far off...what, maybe an alert next Thursday? or maybe after the final four is completed in ten days?

    But it was good to see the Silent Majority push back against the naked Fascism of Peggy Noonan, Delay, the Cat Murderer, and the RWCM.  Even half of Evangelicals found this repulsive.

    And Jon Stewart kicked some Cable "news" ass last night.... he called Tweety a PRICK and ate Foxx's Panda.

    make sure to recommend the diary, so that the west coast can turn on and cheer the graphs and stats.

    thnks

    McCain: He's Constipated and Ready to GO

    by Al Rodgers on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:20:52 AM PDT

  •  Gallup/USA Today?CNN have in the recent (4.00 / 3)

    past used sampling techniques that over-represent Republicans vis a vis the real breakdown in the electorate. I have found in general that the other polling organizations seem to cluster together, with Fox and Gallup skewing toward Bush.

    So I hope this means is REAL approval rating is 4 or 5 points lower!

    The corporate media are destroying progressive Democrats. The Clintons are destroying the Democratic Party.

    by lecsmith on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:22:22 AM PDT

  •  It's Torture, Baby (none / 1)

    It's like, those awful men are TORTURING that poor starving woman...

    "Tonight, city hall is overrun with baboons." -- Commissioner "Well, isn't that the fault of the voters?" -- Leslie Neilsen

    by dangelder on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:27:19 AM PDT

  •  good news but... (none / 1)

    with all that is wrong he still gets 45% - unreal.

    But I'm going to try and be glass half full about it - maybe 40% by Monday?

    by globalsol2005 on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:32:20 AM PDT

    •  It's the trend (4.00 / 2)

      and the magnitude of the change that are important. And those are very bad for Bush.

      The Bush II term is still young and second terms usually break down in the last two years.

      Christmas came early for Dems with Bush II

      Freedom does not march. I saw an invasion. I see an occupation. I don't see a war. "Constant war is not a family value." Cindy Sheehan 8/22/05

      by ex republican on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:01:34 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  not early enough (none / 0)

        If it'd come last November I'd be a lot happier right now.

        But I guess we have to take what we can get.

        We Democrats are deciduous. We fade, lose heart, become torpid, languish, then the sap rises again, and we are passionate. -- Garrison Keillor

        by Evan on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 10:42:00 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

    •  I was (none / 0)

      thinking it was 45 points to high...;)

      GWB will pry my 22 and 19 year old sons from my cold dead fingers.

      by Momagainstthedraft on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 07:43:23 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  whatever... (4.00 / 3)

    Bush isn't going to be up for election again, and a coup or impeachment seems unlikely, so his ratings can go down to the 0s and it won't matter unless it has some real practical application out in the world.

    What practical applications? Dems need to use the unpopularity to push back--both on legislation they don't like, and to win more seats in 2006. Anything else is meaningless.

    Barack Obama will only become president if enough people pay attention, so pay attention, dammit!

    by JMS on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:33:49 AM PDT

    •  Utter disagreement - and I will explain why (4.00 / 13)

      A president's power is his popularity.

      No one kicks a prez when his ratings are up, and people are hesitant to kick when they're middling, as Bush's have been.

      But watch for Gray Davis-like events when Gray Davis-like ratings emerge.

      Bush doesn't have to be impeached to drag his presidency and his entire party down with him.

      I said to colleagues back in the summer that the GOP can have either of two things -- a long-lasting role, perhaps even a leading one, in an American politics where bipartisanship revives -- or get Bush re-elected in a bid for all the marbles, right now, and watch the house of cards come tumbling down.

      pause

      Oh, wow. A pair of jacks just fluttered by. :)

      Watch out for the giant ground sloths.

      by cskendrick on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:46:23 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Ooooh! Impeachment! (none / 0)

        Look, there were real federal crimes committed in the TANG cover-up (destruction of government property, obstruction of justice). If he really does suffer a complete political collapse, it's possible we could actually get rid of him!

        I hadn't thought of it until you mentioned the word.

        Yes, We Can

        by litho on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:56:04 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      •  that's my point (none / 1)

        the ratings don't mean much on their own. Somebody has to capitalize on them. Arnold certainly capitalized on the Davis situation. But do we have Arnolds around? That's the question, because all the ill-will is not going to get things done by itself. Somebody has to do some kicking.

        Barack Obama will only become president if enough people pay attention, so pay attention, dammit!

        by JMS on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:00:47 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

      •  Need to combine (none / 0)

        the Schiavo wingnut activity with the BushCo budget activity. How can we get more coverage about a budget that cuts what, $200 billion or so, in aid to children and the needy and gives it to the rich. Now that we have the white guys paying attention over failure to support husbands in marriage, hammer home the sucking sound of funds being drawn out of their pockets into the pockets of the greedy.

        by davelf2 on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:05:41 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  I would advise against an agenda pile-on (none / 0)

          Let the pickup truck crowd hate Bush for their own reasons for a while...

          ...then work in the rip-off factor slowly.

          The Bushies' cashing-out of America hurts them the most, but they need to come to terms with just how alien (to them, too)  the Bushies really are.

          And when they come asking the obvious "Why didn't you guys warn us?" just say "We did; now let's take America back together."

          Simple stuff, really. Bushies - liars, thieves, and tyrants. Real Americans - honorable, hard-working patriots...that's you, me, and newcomers to the truth. :)

          Watch out for the giant ground sloths.

          by cskendrick on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 01:33:42 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

    •  chimpeachment (none / 0)

      How do we, as a country, take steps toward impeachment into our own hands?

      by mrradon on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 11:45:04 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    •  I hope it carries over to '08 as well as '06 (none / 0)

      because honestly, as much as I loved him I blame Clinton for a lot of Gore's and even Kerry's losses.

      Specifically, I think he's responsible for much of the infamous "moral values gap" that was probably in '00 close to 80-20 as it was in '04.

      Likewise, as much as the Bush dynasty is indebted to Reagan for getting them into the WH, his corrupt administration may have partially led to GHWB not serving a 2nd term.

      Zach W. Morris and John Slater McCain may have seemed like rivals...but they are two peas in a pod

      by BlueEngineerInOhio on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 12:09:00 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Maybe... (none / 0)

    Maybe Bush needs to hire a domestic PR Rep, too?

    Anagrams of "United States of America": reanimate tedious facts / fed automatic irateness / fanatic mediates routes Shouldn't it stand for something better?

    by Christopher Bair on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 05:36:13 AM PDT

  •  It already seems (4.00 / 2)

    This whole issue will splinter away at the Republican coalition from both sides.  There will be some loss from the libertarian/moderate/tradcon wing of the party who are disgusted with the pandering, and there will be a loss of some of the most extreme religious right types (because the Bushes/Congress "didn't do enough" or were not really trying to accomplish anything other than appearances).  The question is will that be dramatic enough to really make a difference.  Hard to say, but the fact that things are looking bad for Bush and, presumably, the GOP is great news.

    by southernblues on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:02:45 AM PDT

  •  This worries me (none / 1)

    because he resorts to terrible measures to get back in the driver's seat.

    I think we need to get used to the fact that he doesn't care and won't ever be giving power back.

    "As long as space abides, so too shall I abide, relieving the suffering of sentient beings." Santideva

    by Percheronwoman on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:14:21 AM PDT

  •  Just thought I'd mention (none / 1)

    That was a great quote by the DNC spokesperson; Pithy and gets in a nice dig.

    by space on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:24:24 AM PDT

  •  Where are all the patriots now? (none / 1)

    Bunch of treasonous liberals....damn activist judges...damn liberal media...they're the ones behind Dear Leader's collapse.  

    I can hear the calls  for '08 now.  You don't change horses midstream!  So why would you want to change Prez's?  We need a constitutional amendment!

    Dunno bout you guys but if my horse is drowning and headed towards a waterfall I'm jumping the hell off...let him drown himself.

    "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." -- Galileo Galilei

    by Dittoz on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:25:51 AM PDT

  •  Tee Hee! (none / 0)

    Let the self destruction continue! The GOP is crumbling before our eyes!  Woo!  Hoo!

    Democrats: Standing Together and Winning In 2008!

    by txbirdman on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:27:15 AM PDT

  •  Praise Jaysus!!!! (none / 0)

    They're finally seein' the light!!!

    We shall fight them on the internets. We shall fight in the Starbucks, and in the streets, we shall fight them on the Hill. We shall never surrender!

    by bhlogger on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:27:48 AM PDT

  •  how can he have a job rating? (none / 1)

    which would imply he actually does things.

    oh, I forgot, he took a day off from vacation for another mission accomplished moment.

    Rome wasn't burnt in a day.

    by Miss Devore on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:40:10 AM PDT

  •  Oh, sure, NOW this happens. (4.00 / 4)

    Where were these geniuses five months ago when it would have made some kind of difference?  <wail>

    by kenlac on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 06:40:38 AM PDT

  •  At the risk of being contrarian... (4.00 / 2)

    I think it should be considered that this drop in approval has a lot more to do with Social Security and the bankruptcy bill than with Teri Schiavo.
    Another factor; there is a strong perception that things in Iraq are winding down for us, that we 'won' or whatever, and so people are more free to disagree with the President on other issues.
    In other words the rally round the flag fervor may be fading.

    Madness in great ones must not unwatched go. - Claudius, in Hamlet (Shakespeare) -8.13, -7.74

    by AWhitneyBrown on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 07:09:13 AM PDT

    •  I think they are certainly factors (none / 0)

      But the sudden, sharp drop in the polls immediately after the Delay/Frist/Bush gang bang of the constitution seems to indicate that was the trigger. Especially given the fact that the MSM was talking about nothing else.

      by pvallen on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 09:17:26 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Political capital spent already (none / 0)

    Boo hoo Mr. Bush. Your political capital is all spent. Suck on that for a while.

    Investigate War Lies --> Evidence for Senate Conviction --> End the War. Got it?

    by bejammin075 on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 07:13:29 AM PDT

  •  when's the next terror alert? (none / 0)

    So when is the next terror alert?  It's time to cue Homeland Security guy to come and do a press conference on how terrorists were caught filming buildings [...15 years ago...] and we must act immediately and be on the highest alert!!

    by MFL on Fri Mar 25, 2005 at 07:13:38 AM PDT

  •  It's in line with other polls (none / 0)

    Other polls via Polling Report



    Bush Approval Ratings: Approval/Disapproval/Not Sure

    CBSNews 3/21-22/05     43%/48%/9%

    Pew Poll 3/17-21/05      45%/46%/9%

    Conservatives & Churchgoers Reason for Bush's Approval Rating Drop