Bush's poll numbers drop below 40%/ only 28% believe US in right direction

[Zuni]

WASHINGTON - It has been weeks since Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast; since gas prices began spiking to record highs; and since Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq, held her antiwar vigil outside President Bush’s Texas ranch. But, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, the fortunes of the Bush administration and the Republican Party have not yet begun to recover.

For the first time in the poll, Bush’s approval rating has sunk below 40 percent, while the percentage believing the country is heading in the right direction has dipped below 30 percent. In addition, a sizable plurality prefers a Democratic-controlled Congress, and just 29 percent think Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers is qualified to serve on the nation’s highest court.

"Any way you slice this data, I think these are just terrible sets of numbers," said Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff.


The poll shows that Bush’s approval rating stands at 39 percent, a new low for the president. In the last NBC/Wall Street Journal survey, which was released in mid-September, 40 percent approved of Bush’s job performance while 55 percent disapproved. In addition, just 28 percent believe the country is headed in the right direction, another all-time low in Bush’s presidency.

Strikingly, much has happened in the time between those two polls — many of them seemingly positive events for the White House. The president delivered a prime-time speech from New Orleans, in which he promised to rebuild the Gulf Coast. He also made several more visits to the region, to examine the damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Furthermore, he saw the Senate confirm John Roberts to the Supreme Court, and he nominated Miers, his White House counsel, to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

snip--

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9672058/

BTW--- According to this poll, people want a Democratic-controlled congress over a GOP one by a margin of 9 points, which apparently is the largest margin in the history of NBC news polls

[NMDemDist2]

1. call your local Dem party office people, we need to get some candidates

buzz going and take back Congress in 06

Even a couple hours a month can make a difference!

Come on DU, let's ROLL

[UrbScotty]

6. Yes! We still have time before many filing deadlines.

We need to get as many candidates as we can.

[Why Syzygy]

2. And it only took five years

for a majority to catch on to this scoundrel?

Forget impeachment. Let's do a recall. NOW.

[Loge23]

3. surprised it's that high (nt)

[Zuni]

4. at least 25% are hardcore repubs who would support Bush

if he told them he was going to kidnap their families and sell them into sex slavery

we are getting down into the nitty gritty now.

[Gman]

5. Even Nixxon had mid-20 numbers at the end

there are some people that will never give up on Bush. But these numbers mean he's within probably 10-12% of the absolute bottom.

[pattim]

7. People want a Dem congress,

but yet I would bet most people with Republican senators and representitives "want a Democratic congress, except for my guy, because he's a good one." Just like how congress keeps a 30% approval rating, yet over a 90% retention rate. Everyone hates congress, except for their congressman.

[JPZenger]

8. Latest Bush Joke

One night, George W. Bush is tossing restlessly in his White House bed,
worried about his plummeting poll numbers and trying to figure out how
to quickly reverse the spiral. He awakens to see the ghost of George
Washington standing by him. Bush asks him, "Hey Georgie; what's the
best thing I can do to help the country?"

"Set an honest and honorable example, just as I did," Washington
advises, and then fades away. Bush ponders this and decides it would
take a long time to achieve because he would have to counter the antics
of pals like Tom DeLay and Carl Rove.

The next night, Bush is astir again, and sees the ghost of Thomas
Jefferson moving through the darkened bedroom. Bush calls out, "Yo Tom;
what is the best thing I can do to help the country?"

"Respect the Constitution, as I did," Jefferson advises, and dims from
sight. Bush thinks it might be hard to do because it would take too
long to overcome the prisoner torture scandals and the Patriot Act
abuses.

The third night, sleep still does not come for Bush. He awakens to see
the ghost of FDR hovering over his bed. Bush whispers, "Hey, Franky
Baby; what is the best thing I can do to help the country?"

"Help the less fortunate, just as I did," FDR replies and fades into the
mist. Bush figures this won't work, as his lax response to hurricane
disasters was fresh in peoples' minds.

Bush isn't sleeping well the fourth night when he sees another figure
moving in the shadows. It is the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. Bush
pleads, "Hey my man Abe; what's the best thing I can do right now to
help the country?"

Lincoln replies, "Go see a play."