Bush's Eroding Base

Nick Gillespie | November 10, 2005

The Wash Times highlights the finding from a recent Pew Research Center poll that "Only half see press as fair to Bush." But even the Times acknowledges, "Although the public may be increasingly leery of White House coverage, Americans still prefer their press in a watchdog role. The survey also found that six out of 10 think press criticism of political leaders helps keep them on track."

Meanwhile at the actual Pew Research site, the big news is about Bush's dismal second-term approval ratings, which the group says reflects "Bush's eroding base."

Bush's current 36% job approval rating is the lowest of his presidency, down from 40% in late October and 50% at the start of the year. This decline reflects a souring of opinion among independents [with] just 29% approv[ing] of the president's job performance today, compared with 47% at the start of the year....

However, Bush is also now facing a significant loss of support within his own party--particularly among moderate Republicans. Overall, the proportion of Republicans who approve of Bush's job in office has dropped from 89% just after the 2004 election to 77% today.

The (coff, coff) silver lining?

One year after their respective reelection victories, Bush's job approval is nine points higher than former President Richard M. Nixon's approval mark in early November 1973 (36% vs. 27%). For Nixon, this came amid the continuing Watergate scandal and shortly after the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew in October.

More here.

Possibly the greatest political ad of all time--a 1968 attack ad mocking Agnew--here.

Comments

|11.10.05 @ 8:02AM|#

While visiting my in-laws (staunch Republicans all, including a former county party chairman) in a very red Rocky Mountain state, I was startled to hear every last one of them tell me that they regret voting for Bush, they're sour on the war, and think that even a maroon like Kerry would have done a better job. Now these are the Republican equivalents of Green Bay Packer fans who wear the big rubber cheese hat.

Bush is looking every day more and more like he is going to keep his campaign promise of being "a uniter, not a divider."

|11.10.05 @ 8:59AM|#

"even a maroon like Kerry"

If Kerry had been a chartreuse octaroon, he'd be our President today.

|11.10.05 @ 9:06AM|#

This thread will be noted by nobody but nattering nabobs of negativism.

|11.10.05 @ 9:24AM|#

Nixon would have been worse! (I think...)

|11.10.05 @ 9:30AM|#

GOP 2006 -- Hey, he's still better than Nixon!

|11.10.05 @ 11:12AM|#

Who cares about Bush & Kerry? That linked site with the historical political ads is FASCINATING!

|11.10.05 @ 2:59PM|#

I'm waiting for Bush to hit single digits.

|11.10.05 @ 4:00PM|#

The base is conservative. Bush is mostly a liberal with the exception he has the sense to understand the harm of raising tax rates.