Hurricane fallout hurts Bush, could hurt Republicans

[UpInArms]

http://today.reuters.com/PrinterFriendlyPopup.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=uri:2005-09-06T162736Z_01_N06415602_RTRIDST_0_KATRINA-BUSH-FALLOUT.XML

WASHINGTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Hurricane Katrina delivered a heavy political blow to President George W. Bush, potentially crippling his second-term domestic agenda and undermining Republican prospects in next year's congressional elections, political analysts said on Tuesday.

"There's going to be significant and long-term damage to Bush, especially because this disaster comes on the heels of a slow bleeding of his approval ratings over the past year that accelerated over the summer," said Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Before the hurricane struck, Bush's approval ratings had fallen to some of the lowest of his presidency -- 45 percent in Fox News and Gallup polls taken at the end of last month and 41 percent in a CBS poll. Voters were expressing growing disenchantment with the war in Iraq and high gasoline prices.

Now, those prices have skyrocketed and Americans face a winter of high prices at the pump combined with heating oil prices that are double or higher what they were last year.

<snip>

But the images of a city drowning while the government stood by, seemingly unable to help desperate people, will not fade quickly, said pollster John Zogby.

"Those scenes are not going to go away. Bush can recover a bit through damage control but those early impressions could be devastating for him and could hurt his party," Zogby said.

...more...

[napi21]

1. I hope Zogby is right! If the news out of NO continues to get worse,

I suspect Shrub & the Pubs will suffer greatly!

[Lorien]

6. What's scary is that even WITH the bad press and

poor approval ratings, things are still being badly mismanaged in NOLA.Removal of the dead hasn't even begun, and aid is still being withheld!! They know that they can do-or not do-whatever they damn well please and no one will seriously oppose them. That's terrifying.

[Skittles]

9. I don't want the news out of NO to get worse

it's already bad enough

[colbushwhacker_2000]

2. One can only hope

....that this will occur......Gawd, I hate these GOP bastards..........I hope that Bu$h, Cheney and Rove burn in hell.

[me b zola]

3. They can't spin this one away, if fact, their spin only makes it worse

People are horrified at some of the statements the cons are making in an attempt to cover their collective ass.

There will be hell to pay.

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. sadly, it also alludes to people's short attention spans and shorter...

memories. Why some presidents become teflon (Reagan and our current stellar misleader) and others flypaper (Clinton, Carter) are, I think, a testament to the vicious attack dog and hypocrisy of conservatives.....

[lancdem]

11. Clinton had some Teflon, too

in the sense that he was even more popular during the whole Monica mess than before. It wass the backlash effect. But I know what you mean.

[Massachusetts]

5. "Hurricane fallout hurts Bush, could hurt Republicans"

Mother Nature exposed the HYPOCRITICAL Bu$hco machine and their lacky Rethuglicans......close the door behind you please!

We The People understand NOW(FOR SURE), the REAL importance of the World Community, NOT the dog and pony show that most of the pols in OUR country have been showing US for all these years.

[meow2u3]

17. Too bad Mother Nature had to expose Bushco at the expense of poor blacks

Especially the poor blacks who refused to leave their pets behind to starve. May St. Francis be allowed to get these victims in to heaven through the back door O8)

[DamnYank]

7. If this hurricane had to happen at all

why, oh why, couldn't it have happened next year, right before the '06 elections? I wouldn't put it past these clowns to rebound by next year and keep their majorities.

[Skarbrowe]

8. Gay marriage is always scarier than a destructive hurricane. nt

[Skittles]

10. if the American people give bush a pass on this disaster

they deserve the government they get

[katty]

19. yup, they have gotten away w/EVERYTHING so far-and want more

they enjoy watching the sheeple suffer.

[Barrett808]

13. Not to sound too cynical, but hurricane season hasn't even started yet

And welcome to DU, DamnYank!

:hi:

[rocktivity]

12. Runner up for this month's "You Call This NEWS???" award

No shit, Sherlock-do ya really think it COULD hurt Republicans? Well, it could if everyone called congress and "vote for impeachment, or I DON'T vote for you."

:wow:
rocknation

[GoddessOfGuinness]

14. And if you think it's hurt rethuglicans

Just imagine how it's hurt the people who were the victims of their agenda of greed. :grr:

[AZBlue]

15. Please! Please! Please!

Let this be true!

:toast:

[longship]

16. Recommended. This is HUGH11111

:kick:ed.

[darkism]

18. Hopefully GOP approval will continue to fall AND conditions will IMPROVE

The best of both worlds!

[Javaman]

20. Be afraid, never under estimate the power of a cornered rat....

[ECH1969]

21. Zogby how about supplying some poll numbers

to back up your hunch.