Zeev's Turnips Patch-No Politics (ZEEV)

[TJ Parker]

Not quite OT: polls

this could show up in consumer confidence wednesday. rasmussen's confidence numbers also point down. ( http://www.rasmussenreports.com/ ).

from cbs news:

Poll: Bush Ratings Continue Slide

NEW YORK, May 24, 2004

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.


(CBS) 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.

Sixty-one percent of Americans now disapprove of the way Mr. Bush is handling the situation in Iraq, while just 34 percent approve.

As concern about the situation in Iraq grows, 65 percent now say the country is on the wrong track — matching the highest number ever recorded in CBS News Polls, which began asking this question in the mid-1980's. Only 30 percent currently say things in this country are headed in the right direction. One year ago, in April 2003, 56 percent of Americans said the country was headed in the right direction.

The last time the percentage that said the country was on the wrong track was as high as it is now was back in November 1994. Then, Republicans swept into control of both houses of Congress for the first time in decades.

Majorities disapprove of the way Mr. Bush is handling foreign policy and the economy. Terrorism remains the only positive area for the president — a majority of 51 percent approve of the way he is handling the campaign against terrorism. But that number matches his lowest rating ever on terrorism.

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.

On the campaign against terrorism, however, Mr. Bush receives more positive ratings. Fifty-one percent of Americans approve of the job he is doing, while 42 percent disapprove. Fifty percent say his administration's policies have made the country safer from terrorism, not much changed from what people said a month ago.

THE ECONOMY

Americans' perceptions of the country's economy are similar to what they were last month. 52 percent think the economy is in good shape, while 47 percent think it is in bad shape.

While more Americans say the economy is good than bad, the public's outlook for the economy is not very optimistic. Just 23 percent (down from 30 percent last month) say the economy is getting better, 32 percent (up from 26 percent last month) say it is getting worse. Forty-three percent think it is staying the same.

Little good economic news has been heard by the public, despite the improvement in job growth in March and April. Nearly half continue to say the administration's policies have decreased the number of jobs in the U.S. Twenty percent say those policies have increased the number of jobs, up six points since March. A quarter thinks this administration's policies have had no effect on the number of jobs.

Many Americans remain concerned that they or someone in their household may lose their job over the next year. Sixty percent are very or somewhat concerned, while 49 percent are not at all concerned about losing their job.

The economy and the war in Iraq are the two top issues on voters' minds in this presidential election. Twenty-five percent mention the economy and jobs as the issue they want the candidates to discuss and 26 percent of voters say they would like to hear about the war in Iraq. Following these top issues are healthcare and Medicare with 8 percent, education with 4 percent, and rising gas prices — a new concern — with 4 percent.


This poll was conducted among a nationwide random sample of 1,113 adults, interviewed by telephone May 20-23, 2004. The error due to sampling could be plus or minus three percentage points for results based on the entire sample.