Posted on 09/02/2005 1:46:49 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Hurricane Katrina may give President Bush the opportunity to increase his low approval ratings. In fact, his overall rating did rise on the last day of the poll, after he returned to the White House from his ranch in Crawford, Texas, and addressed the nation on the crisis in the Gulf Coast.
But in the early days of this crisis, many Americans are withholding judgment about his handling of it. Fifty-four percent approve of the way the President is handling Hurricane Katrina, and only 12 percent disapprove -- but one-third can't say yet. This question was added to the poll on Tuesday, the day after Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. Gulf coast.
Bush’s current rating for his handling of Hurricane Katrina is actually lower than what his father, former president George H.W. Bush received for his handling of Hurricane Andrew. In September 1992, nearly two-thirds approved of then-President Bush’s handling of Hurricane Andrew, while three in 10 disapproved -- but that poll was conducted nearly three weeks after Hurricane Andrew hit Florida.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Take that, Ted Koppel.
How could his ratings have raised after he addressed the nation. The NYT's said it was the worst speech of his life. Hmmmm. Maybe the NYT's is out of touch with reality. Go figure. Of course CBS is desparetely trying to spin these numbers any way it can and even goes so far as to project terrible numbers in its next poll. But then, isn't CBS part of the NYT's?
Possibly true. But I imagine that by now, 98% of us disapprove of pollsters and their sheer idiocy.
These people need to get real jobs, as it is, they're leeches.
I don't recall Hurricane Andrew all that well, but did President George H.W. Bush have to deal with an ill prepared local government that refused to recognize the danger its city was in? Or how about two related disasters... a hurricane and then 24 hours later, the flooding?
Myself, I'll be withholding any judgment on the handling of the relief effort until well after the recovery is nearly done. I suspect this disaster is going to highlight our nation's need for a comprehensive and modern natural disaster relief and recovery plan. I don't doubt that our current procedures are better than any other country in the world, but we're America - and when the fallout clears we're gong to be sitting down and trying to figure out how to do this better. In the past, our haphazard conglomeration of relief efforts, and loose coordination have been sufficient, but after this expectations are going to be higher the next time.
Perhaps we can cut back on our foreign aid while we fund and build an emergency response, recovery, relief system in our own country. Stock piles of non-perishables, streamlined procurement for perishables, transport and evacuation plans, quick construction temporary shelter capabilities... Rapid deployment large scale medical assistance, etc. Can it be done? For a few years at 15-20 billion dollars that we currently spend on foreign aid, I'm sure we'll be able to think of something.
Bump!
Question. How did the Dem Mayor get his "SOS" out to the media???? It was the first we heard of him since Katrina hit.
Give it a week.
Of course it was the Federal government's job to know in advance where the hurricane was going to hit. Of course it was the Federal government's job to have men, machines and meals on the ground the minute the devastation hit. Of course it was the Federal government's job to move in and take over when the ill-prepared mayor of NO and the governor of Louisiana floundered and fell flat in their so-called preparedness for disaster.< /sarcasm>
Let's just hope that today we'll see a pointed response to some of the inane questions being asked of FEMA, DoD and the rest.
OH NO! Only 12% disapprove. The MSM is not doing their job! Gotta get those disapproval numbers up!
It wouldn't matter to that fringe 12% what Bush did. If it's Bush, they are against it, they don't even need to know what "IT" is. Amen.
If a terrorist nuclear attack occurs is that FEMA's responsibility or not? An honest question, but I am shocked and ashamed that 4 years of planning after 9/11 our rapid response to a disaster has been so poor and ill-coordinated.
The majority of American's are just not as stupid as the dims and MSM hopes they are regardless of all the lies they constantly spew.
A stupid poll? This is the LAST thing that is needed at this time. Leave it to leftist's and the main stream media, to focus on a poll during a national catastrophe.
What horse S***! They will pole and change questions until they get the answer they want. Why bother calling? "Don't wake-em up, Make-em up!" Get the answer you want the first time! Oh, sorry, your already doing that. Never mind. CBS - Communists Brodcasting Sedition!
Polls be damned.
I love the way that CBS attempts to implie that Bush II is worse than his father - ...
in the very early days after Katrina 58% approve, 33% are unsure and 12 % disapprove
three weeks after Andrew 66% approved and 30% disapproved
BUT - no bias here eh??
I think the looters stayed behind in order to do what they are doing. Free for all anarchy with a shot at a HDTV at the corner electronics market. The little ole ladies should have evacuated along with the babies. But the lawless ones stayed behind because they had plans.
Give the media and the rats some time, and those numbers will be reversed.
America has seen that the anarchy in New Orleans is the fault of the impotent and currupt local government as well as the rampaging welfare class members that are raping, looting and pillaging. What we've seen in New Orleans is a wakeup call to America about the permanent welfare class and Americans know that it's not the President's fault.
Nothing at all can be done to stop acts of nature.
It's pretty plain to see that neither the Mayor of New Orleans, the Governor of New Orleans, nor the State Legislature of NO had in place any emergency plans.
The President cannot override a sitting Governor. He cannot just Federalize a state. The Governor, Katherine Blanco, has to give the order to engage the looters and thugs. She has to say what type of force is to be used against them. If she says, "Shoot to kill," they can. But she hasn't given any indication of determination or strength or leadership other than begging the thugs to stop.
Can't these reporters understand this?
This is a horrendously huge undertaking. Note to news people: It isn't something that can be helped in a 15 minute newscast or in an hour. The logistics, if you think about it, are daunting.
In a small forum I participate in the general consensus is that we have to do something, and do it now. Many members seem to think that – because of TV news coverage – little is being done to help. They don’t seem to realize that the destroyed area is around 90,000 square miles and that those who need aid number in the millions – and that highways, rails and airports are wiped out. No power, no fuel, and gangbangers firing on rescuers and those trying to deliver aid and evacuate people.
I can’t really fault the news media for all of it. They can’t get their camera crews into the most devastated areas so they can’t cover them. They can get to New Orleans and now Biloxi. Because of that many people think the destruction is limited to those two areas.
And of course – who gets the blame? Most of it falls on politicians, but they are very limited in what they can do. All the Feds can do is allocate funds. Local politicians have declared martial law. None have a magic wand to wave and create a transportation infrastructure.
The more the loony media does it's thing, the more the American people are inclined to support our President.
His smirk at the end was suggesting it was nothing more than a sparring match to him.
Ignoring the fact that lives are at stake.
It's not the response of the federal authorities that has failed.
It's the local officials and their consituents who have utterly failed their fellow citizens.
An honest question, but I am shocked and ashamed that 4 years of planning after 9/11 our rapid response to a disaster has been so poor and ill-coordinated.
Wehn Andrew hit, during the election season, Clinton convinced a couple of the southern governors - Dems - to withhold requesting FEMA aid. The President cannot act until the request is made. This made it look as if Bush did not care. That is the way the media spun it and it drove Bush's numbers down.
Source?
Don't have a source either but I believe Rush covered it. I saw it verified later. File it under the Clinton blanket free pass.
You are exactly right. What people are seeing on tv, is in no way the fault of the president. Anderson Cooper and Shep Smith can rant and rave all they want, but the local and state authorities need to answer for a lot of the chaos, and then the people that chose to stay behind after being told to leave need to be responsible for their decisions.
**Source?**
I second that. The local authorities failed miserably. That the Louisiana National Guard was not placed on standby ahead of the hurricane by the governor (it's HER responsibility - not the Feds). It's rather astounding that a city that sits below sea level was caught so unprepared. It strongly suggests that the local authorities did not take the situation seriously - Before, during, or after.
That being said, I'm not at all impressed by the Dept of Homeland Security. 'Effective' is not a word I'd use to describe it.
Give it time. It'll settle to around the low 40s in due time and then there will be cries for his impeachment. Some will even say that they don't care if he's of their party or that they voted for him: Bush isn't doing his job. Bush allowed the the water to cross the borders. The borders weren't secured. Impeach Bush!
Been watching too much CNN have you?
I've been watching CNN the last few days a little, becuasie FOX has been gawd-awful. Seems like every minute of so, they reference a poll..abotu this or that...they need to know that a "poll" isn't hard news...the only poll that counts occurs onthe first Tuesday in November..
Whyinell anyone pays attention to polls is beyond me. They are easily skewed, manipulated, manufatured. More often than not they are innacurate. Any group can conduct a poll and get the outcome they want - good or bad for any politician.
Politicians: "None have a magic wand to wave and create a transportation infrastructure"
No, but they do have the ability to make a bad situation even worse! I just heard a disgusting interview with the NO mayor where he cursed everyone from the President to the governor for this calamity. I've never heard such defeated and demoralizing words from a leader. He has the local "bully pulpit" and should have used it to lead....for example:
Use every bit of his authority to assure people that he knows this is a bad situation but he also knows that the people of NO will help each other, especially those who can't help themselves. Tell them to protect the frail and the helpless and assure them that help is coming. Tell them to share what resources they have and to assist with all in their power to maintain sanitary and safe conditions. Tell them that we have to take care of ourselves until the help arrives. Tell them that they are the hereos who can hold down the fort.
IT WAS DISGUSTING. And I'm quite sure she will NOT say the same things to Gov. Blanco or the Mayor of NO.
Focus on the goal. Pass it on! Energize your neighbors into physically helping with this relief effort TODAY!
"Psych UP" and move the effort forward. Americans can and will ENERGIZE each other.
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