How low can it go? If Bush’s second term is like Reagan’s and others, we’re looking at the high end of his approval ratings. Of course, I predicted it would be lower than 49% because of the world-class bungle by the White House over the Christmas tsunami disaster, but according to the AP, he’s still treading water:
Bush’s approval rating is at 49 percent in the AP poll, with 49 percent disapproving. His job approval is in the high 40s in several other recent polls — as low as any job approval rating for a re-elected president at the start of the second term in more than 50 years.
Presidents Reagan and Clinton had job approval ratings near six in 10 just before their inauguration for a second term, according to Gallup polls.
President Nixon’s approval was in the 60s right after his 1972 re-election, slid to about 50 percent right before his inauguration and then moved back over 60 percent. President Eisenhower’s job approval was in the low 70s just before his second inauguration in 1957.
…
People were evenly divided on Bush’s handling of the economy. They take a dim view of his handling of Iraq (news – web sites), with 44 percent approving and 54 percent disapproving, according to the poll of 1,001 adults. It was taken Jan. 3-5 and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Even on Bush’s strongest area, handling foreign policy and the war on terrorism, people were evenly split — with 50 percent approving and 48 percent disapproving.
