Bush's Approval Rating Drops Sharply (Bush approval: 59%)

Washington Post ^ | 07/12/03 | Richard Morin and Claudia Deane

[Pokey78]

Public support for President Bush has dropped sharply amid growing concerns about U.S. military casualties and doubts whether the war with Iraq was worth fighting, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Bush's overall job approval rating dropped to 59 percent, down nine points in the past 18 days. That decline exactly mirrored the slide in public support for Bush's handling of the situation in Iraq, which now stands at 58 percent.

And for the first time, slightly more than half the country -- 52 percent -- believes there has been an "unacceptable" level of U.S. casualties in Iraq, up eight points in less than three weeks.

Still, only 26 percent said there had been more casualties than they had expected. Three in four say they expect "significantly more" American dead and wounded.

[Joe Hadenuf]

We don't need no stinking charts.......

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

I never trust a poll if they don't print the exact questions which were asked.

[nailspitter]

Bush is coming home in the next day or two. Blair is coming to Washington D.C. next week. Expect a big show by Bush and Blair, and probably a major announcement about WMD. Just guessing, of course.

[nightowl]

Rumsfeld & Senator Bob Graham D-FL will be on Meet the Press this Sunday.

[Pokey78]

The poll. I should've added this to the initial post. Sorry.

[Pokey78]

The poll. I should've added this to the initial post. Sorry.

[Pokey78]

Together?

[Schakaljager]

It's pretty typical for any president's rating to during sharply during summer, this is especially true for Bush. If you have been following him long enough, you should notice that he's always adrift during the months of June to August, and make a strong comeback in September.

I just hope he'd scrape the month-long vacation this year, it won't help him one bit given the situation in Iraq and the economy.

And I agree with Dog, if seasonal rating drop plus liberal media at full force can only drive him # to high 50s, there's not much to worry.

[Jorge]

Media spin alert! Bush's approval drops from 68 to 59% and that's "drops sharply" but when the Million Moron attendence goes from 40,000 to 400 from the first year to the second, it merely "dips."

Thank you. We've been hearing these liberal media reports of Bush's crashing numbers repeatedly since 9-11. It's boring.

[Jorge]

I'm sure it'll all turn around after a massive illegal alien amnesty.

Great idea. Too bad Bush has come out against the idea of any blanket amnesty for illegals.

[Gunslingr3]

Expect a big show by Bush and Blair, and probably a major announcement about WMD. Just guessing, of course.

[Ed. note: the word you're looking for is 'hoping', not 'guessing'.]

[deedgirl]

Bush needs to speak to the nation ,and set the record straight, plainly and simply.The democrats need to be exposed as liars.Bush has the voice, he must use it wisely.

[clockwork]

He ought to get the hell out of Africa and come home, and concern himself with this country, our economy, our borders and sovereignty, and figure out what the hell we are suppose to be doing in Iraq..

You got that right...most of my neighbors would rather stop illegal immigration here than send troops to some God forsaken hole like Liberia...not to mention the unemployment situation here and the lack of an end game in Iraq. W needs to get his act together or he'll end up like dear old Dad.

[Mr.Clark]

Does this remind anyone of the huge flap over "Bush knew about 9-11!" hysteria over a year ago? Little actual story, but the press and the Dems go absolutely wild for a week or so.

[dagnabbit]

I think every president since Reagan deserved to be one-termers. None protected U.S. sovereignty, borders, language or culture (Reagan and his amnesty get a pass only because it wasn't as clear then that open borders were destroying America).

Bush Jr., who has none of Clinton's charm (sleazy as that might be) not to mention economy, and who is even more inarticulate than his father, will go down like a ton of bricks, once his only plus factor, the War on Terrorism fades in voters' minds or is seen to be ill run.

The desperate pandering of massive illegal-alien amnesties, Africa trips, and "diversity" advocacy will help not a whit. The Democrat Left will always out-left a RINO.

[dagnabbit]

Great idea. Too bad Bush has come out against the idea of any blanket amnesty for illegals.

Guest worker plan pushed by Cornyn falls short of Bush's

I didn't say "blanket". I said "massive", which it will be.

[Jorge]

I didn't say "blanket". I said "massive", which it will be.

Well Bush has been in office for almost 3 years and I'm still waiting to see this "massive" amnesty for illegals.
When is this supposed to happen?

BTW, your link doesn't work.

[zip]

Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Yeah, right. Like there is an ounce of credibility there. Those anti-American idiots would never run an honest poll.