Bush approval ratings hit new low (CBS poll)....

[John_Shadows_1]

here:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/24/opinion/polls/main619122.shtml

<snip>
The war in Iraq continues to tarnish the approval ratings of President Bush. Evaluations of the way Mr. Bush is handling the war in Iraq, how he is handling foreign policy, and how he is handling his job overall are now at their lowest levels ever in his presidency.

Mr. Bush's overall job approval rating has continued to decline. Forty-one percent approve of the job he is doing as president, while 52 percent disapprove — the lowest overall job rating of his presidency. Two weeks ago, 44 percent approved. A year ago, two-thirds did.
</snip>

<snip>
Just 37 percent — the lowest number in his presidency — now approve of Mr. Bush's handling of foreign policy, while 56 percent disapprove. Mr. Bush's ratings on the economy are similar: 36 percent approve of his handling of it and 57 percent disapprove.
</snip>

Two questions:
(1) Is he diving too soon and can he recover?
(2) Why the hell would John Kerry be so loath to differentiate himself from so unpopular an opponent?

[Doosh]

1. re

(1) Is he diving too soon and can he recover?

NO! :)

any sitting president polling at 41% in May is in deep shit. It's not early in the race anymore, the election is less than 6 months away. HW Bush, Ford, Johnson, and Carter were all between 40-47% at this point and none of them made it.

[John_Shadows_1]

2. Go Edwards!

We need some energy on this ticket - Kerry/Gephardt will put everybody to sleep.

[lancdem]

3. Loath to differentiate himself?

Isn't that the whole point of his running? :shrug:

[Must_B_Free]

4. making the distance from 1/2 to 2/3

Bush's base is fissuring and flaking off like mica.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. A lot has been made of "if Bush is sucking so bad, why isn't Kerry doing

better?" Does anyone know how Kerry's numbers compare to the challengers who won against those loser incumbents previously mentioned (Carter, HW Bush, etc.)?