Bush's job-approval rating climbs back above 50% (Gallup)

[papau]

"No president who was at or above 50% at this point in an election year has lost"


http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-08-12-bush-usat_x.htm

Bush's job-approval rating climbs back above 50%
By Judy Keen, USA TODAY
LAS VEGAS — President Bush's job-approval rating, a key indicator of an incumbent's chance of being re-elected, has turned upward, the Gallup Poll finds.

The share of Americans who say they approve of the job Bush is doing inched over the 50% mark to 51%. No president who was at or above 50% at this point in an election year has lost.

Matthew Dowd, Bush's campaign strategist, said, "It looks like the American public is not near as pessimistic as Sen. Kerry is."

Bush's job-approval rating hit its low point, 46%, in May.

The poll finds the presidential race essentially tied: Bush leads Kerry 48%-46% among likely voters; independent Ralph Nader has 3%. The difference between Bush and Kerry is within the poll's error margin of +/{ndash}4 percentage points. <snip>