Newsweek: Finding His Floor (*'s poll up (@ 40%) despite Delay)

[sabra]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9553533/site/newsweek/

Finding His Floor
The new NEWSWEEK Poll finds President Bush’s support holding steady despite the DeLay indictment. But even the party faithful are starting to question the GOP.


Oct. 1, 2005 - It had to happen. Just as a declining stock finds its “floor,” the point where the faith of hard-core supporters buttresses the price from falling any farther, President George W. Bush had to find his. And the new NEWSWEEK poll suggests he has.

In the wake of what was widely seen as an inept government response to Hurricane Katrina, the president’s approval rating sank three weeks ago to a NEWSWEEK poll record low, dipping to just 38 percent. But the new NEWSWEEK poll, taken on Thursday and Friday nights, after the indictment of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, shows the president’s support bolstered slightly, up to 40 percent. With a four-point margin of error, two points is not considered “statistically significant,” but tell that to the White House. Polling is all about momentum, and the president has clearly stopped the slide.

How he did he do it? Partly, Americans believe he has done a better job handling Hurricane Rita and her aftermath. While 49 percent disapprove of Bush’s response to Rita (42 percent approve), after Katrina the numbers were more dire, with just 37 percent of Americans approving of the president’s actions and 57 percent disapproving. And a majority of Americans, 57 percent, believe that after the hurricane doubleheader and the departure of former FEMA Director Michael Brown, the federal government is “better able to respond to a major hurricane or other natural disaster” in the future.

In addition to the president’s action offensive--he’s visited the devastated Gulf region more than a half-dozen times--most Americans may simply not link the president to DeLay. Another possible explanation is that after weeks of strident criticism of the president, the Republican base is rallying round their man. Republicans’ renewed support is obvious in the small approval rebound in the president’s area of greatest strength: 51 percent of Americans approve of his policies on terrorism and homeland security in the new poll, compared to 46 percent three weeks ago. While that’s still less than his historical average, somewhere north of 60 percent when it comes to homeland security and terrorism, it’s going in the right direction.

[Diogenes2]

1. What a load

of propagandistic BS about a statistically insignificant 2% shift!

[Proud2BAmurkin]

2. "bolstered" to 40%. BWAAAAAAAAAAA

FUCKING NEWSWEEK TOOLS

[sabra]

3. party time - we are out of th 30's. bring out the champagne :-)

[MADem]

27. 'NEWSWEAK' should release the photo they have of Tom DeLay

with a Mexican prostitute...and maybe look up the child he had outside his marriage. Now that would be some reporting!

[NewJeffCT]

37. you're kidding

is that true?

[MADem]

38. Larry Flynt, et. al., say so

Check the net, do a google, I am not spinning this out of whole cloth.

We will never know until NEWSWEEK publishes the pic, but the rumor has been about for years.

[indepat]

46. Tells us and the world every thing we and it need(s) to know about the 40%

[regnaD kciN]

4. Thus proving...

...that somewhere between 38%-40% of Americans are dumb as dirt.

:eyes:

[alarcojon]

5. Hey, at least this time they mentioned the margin of error

...the new NEWSWEEK poll, taken on Thursday and Friday nights, after the indictment of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, shows the president’s support bolstered slightly, up to 40 percent. With a four-point margin of error, two points is not considered “statistically significant,” but tell that to the White House. Polling is all about momentum, and the president has clearly stopped the slide.

In other words, there is a 95% probability that Bush's actual approval is somewhere from 36% to 44%. So this "bump" is non-existent, except that the media wants to make a story of it, and the relative quantitative illiteracy of the public (and the media themselves) allows them to do so.

[Bumblebee]

15. on the home page it says: NEWSWEEK Poll: Bush’s Support Low, But Steady

which is quite accurate.

[MADem]

39. Poor to Mediocre: the new bar of success!!! n/t

[rzemanfl]

6. Bullshit! n/t

[Triana]

7. 51% like the idea that he has turned Iraq into terrorist HQ?

When it wasn't before? They like the idea that bu$hit is using Iraq country as a human shield against the terrorists (who were not even there before but are NOW since we invaded) and and that he's using Iraq for placing strategic, permenant bases there to control the oil?

They like the idea that prisoners were raped, murdered, and tortured by the US in Saddaam's own prison, where Saddaam himself did the same before we invaded?

THAT is the 'noble cause' 1900+ Americans and untold Iraqis died for eh?

I think those 51% need to get their asses down to the local recruiting office, sign up, and get their butts on a plane to Baghdad, Falluja, etc. and relieve some of those poor soldiers who've served numerous consequetive times over there under stop loss. They need to take their kids, spouses, and parents with them. If they think this a moral and just war and that it is noble and worth the cost - then let them go fight it themselves.

What a bunch of vacuum-packed nimrods.

[bostonbabs]

8. wait till the heating oil costs and the new

medicare costs sink into the American Public and the FRIST STENCH ALONG with the Plame stench......stinking ....it will drop.

[CountAllVotes]

24. yep that is when the sheep awaken

Once it hits them in the pocketbook! * will sink like a turd after they get their power bill this winter and find they don't have the means to pay it being they won't have a job worth a crap and those on Medicare see how much more they are paying for a crappy health insurance plan!

:grr: :grr: :argh: :grr: :grr:

:kick:

[pokercat999]

44. Bushco will institute a plan

to help even the middle class pay their heating bills and the greedy (corporate controlled) Dino congressional Dem's will have no choice but to go along, they will say.

For Bushco it's a win-win they raise their approval rating, prove they are "compassionate" and at the same time satisfy their corporate masters in the energy sector by allowing them to reap huge profits with the cost added to the national debt which will help insure our grand children are enslaved to China.

Another win for the Repugs.......anyone understand why I believe we need to divide America into two separate countries NOW! Our only real choice is to separate by what ever means necessary, peacefully if we can.

[daveskilt]

9. 40???? not 4.0

<>

I love get your war on

[IChing]

10. His "floor" is rotten and decaying as we speak

The "Delay" is only momentary until he falls into the basement of public opinion.

[Vickers]

11. This is like bragging about bringing your grades up to F minus

:eyes:

Oh, and:

BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY BUSH DELAY etc. etc. :rofl:

[_Winston_Smith_101]

12. What does it matter? GWB can't run again.

Focus people...FOCUS ON 2008! Do you want to see JEB BUSH elected?

[Straight Shooter]

22. Hell yes it matters!

Remember what hurt Gore was the attempt to disassociate him from Clinton, when in fact (in hindsight) it would have been wiser to have his image tied more to Clinton. Perhaps his campaign team didn't recognize how strongly people liked Clinton.

But bush? That lying stinking piece of crap hitting the campaign trail ("It's hard work") is not going to help the next candidate, especially not Jeb. At least it won't help if enough people will wake up and smell the coffee.

[tnlefty]

25. Focus on '06!!! Republicans need to wear voting for bush** policies

, etc. around their necks like an albatross. No coattails and their votes and cozziness with him needs to be used to sweep them out of power, so HELL YEAH it matters and well before '08.

[Rob H.]

13. "...it’s going in the right direction..."

So now his approval rating is somewhere between floating in the bowl and creeping toward the rim. Yeah. He's on the comeback trail, all right. :eyes:

Ridiculous bullshit like this is exactly why I let my subscription to their "news" magazine lapse shortly after sElection 2000.

[Bumblebee]

14. Forget the spin. When 40% is "good news," whereas after 9-11

he was in upper eighties, no spin will work. It also nicely undercuts Gallup with their 45%.

[ECH1969]

16. What?

51 percent of Americans approve of his policies on terrorism and homeland security in the new poll, compared to 46 percent three weeks ago.
---------------------------------------------------------

How can anyone think he is doing a good job on national security?

[Bumblebee]

17. But here is truly bad news for him from this poll:

A plurality of Americans believe history will see Bush as a below average president-43 percent-a two-point increase since the September 8-9 Newsweek Poll.

[Lexingtonian]

30. that number

has been 49% since the London bombings. The writer is only twaddling about statistical noise. Only major Al Qaeda attacks actually affect this number (which is also the 'strong leadership' number).

It's based in magical thinking aka 'faith'; there is no way of making rational sense of it. It's irrationality and affected by irrational catastrophic events.

[NoodleyAppendage]

18. Rename article to "40% of Americans are Thumb-dragging Pro-fascist Idiots"

Anyone who still supports Shrub and the Repukes is evincing either an IQ below 85, delusional thinking and denial, pro-fascist Xtian fundie beliefs, and/or core selfish corporate assholishness.

B

[Selteri]

19. Just remember - they likely are polling 40% of people who

consider themselves to be 'loyal republicans' these polls truly mean little.

[Rose Siding]

20. o.m.g. The media is helping the cabal CELEBRATE 40% approval???

That settles it: The Katrina coverage was aberrant :grr:

[moondust]

21. A 3-page write-up about a statistically insignificant gain.

What a scoop!

[Cha]

23. bush belongs in the

Gutter with the rest of the derelicts..you can play with his numbers all you want, newsweak, but it ain't gonna give the emperorjerk any clothes.

[lebkuchen]

26. I don't buy Newsweek, nor patronize its advertisers

[rodeodance]

28. "Polling is all about momentum"---time to stop the 'slide"!!

......In the wake of what was widely seen as an inept government response to Hurricane Katrina, the president’s approval rating sank three weeks ago to a NEWSWEEK poll record low, dipping to just 38 percent. But the new NEWSWEEK poll, taken on Thursday and Friday nights, after the indictment of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, shows the president’s support bolstered slightly, up to 40 percent. With a four-point margin of error, two points is not considered “statistically significant,” but tell that to the White House. Polling is all about momentum, and the president has clearly stopped the slide.

[Hekate]

29. The bottom will really fall out when we have a draft...

...of our youngsters. I think the last shred of complacency will fall away when the average American finally realizes that he (or his kid) will be heading off to Iraq or another equally dubious spot on the PNAC map. No more blather about how all those reservists, soldiers and marines "volunteered" to get shot at.

In the meantime, W's media pals will continue to refer to him as a "popular" president no matter how badly his approval rating sags.

Hekate

Why wouldn't the Chickenhawk cross the road?

[AX10]

31. A floor for now.

Come the winter and the 06' recession, this 40% will be the highlight of his second term.

[WhiteTara]

32. Wait until Fitzgerald finishes his grand jury

investigation. I am sure there will be another slide. When the new pics of Abu Ghraib come out I'm sure there will be another. Besides their margin of error makes it about steady at 35% for the moment.

[Solly Mack]

33. oh now, a drunk is well aquainted with the floor already

Shrub has found "his" floor for years

[MADem]

40. Ask Miz Beesley, the dog who didn't bark

...when he hit the floor after the "pretzel" incident.

[DS1]

34. So they report sub-40s once he's back out of them, Nice.

That's called propping someone up, because if the undecideds see him as a real sucker, then they're more likely to keep the snowball growing.

Thanks, Newsweek.

[Garbo 2004]

35. Only in BushWorld is an approval rating of 40% considered a positive.

Just like a questionable 52% is considered a "mandate." And the war in Iraq turned out so well BushWorld called it a "catastrophic success."

In contrast, Clinton's job approval ratings were around 70% while he was being impeached. And 65% by the time he left office.

[daleo]

36. There are plenty of things on deck to keep up his downward momentum

Plamegate, Delay, Iraq quagmire, deficit, continuing story of New Orleans, etc. It is hard to think of any potential good news on the horizon for Bushco.

[The_Casual_Observer]

41. Talk about wishful thinking journalism.

Is this an opinion piece or what?

[tenshi816]

42. "With a four-point margin of error,

two points is not considered 'statistically significant,' but tell that to the White House. Polling is all about momentum, and the president has clearly stopped the slide."

But, but, but Junior Bush and Karl are always saying they don't pay attention to polls - or is it that they only pay attention when the polls appear to be going up?

[cassiepriam]

43. We are a sick people, morally bankrupt....

financially too..

[Puglover]

45. I can't wait.....

when all the Bushbots in the suburbs get their heating bills this winter and they are 70 percent higher then last year. I wonder what they will think of their Idiot Prince then.

[godai]

47. If the drinking news gets out

It may cut into that seemingly impenetrable base of 30-40%, some of whom are the drinking/gambling is a sin crowd. They'd feel deceived.

[Penndems]

48. According to the Houston Chronicle, 107 people in Texas died

during the Hurricane Rita evacuation, or from the hurricane itself (link: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/3374468).

The Washington Post and The New York Times have been running stories all week about how FEMA has been, and continues to be, an absolute and utter failure:

NYT: Stumbling Storm-Aid Effort Put Tons of Ice on Trips to Nowhere
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/02/national/nationalspecial/02ice.html?th&emc=th

Washington Post: Housing Promises Made to Evacuees Have Fallen Short
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/01/AR2005100101437.html

WaPo: FEMA's Brown Was Warned Early of Shortages
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/29/AR2005092900443.html

. . . and the list goes on.

FEMA's incompetence continues to take its toll on people's lives. Entire towns in the areas affected by Rita still haven't received FEMA assistance. The only difference is that their sphere of incompetence has moved outside of the eastern Gulf Coast, and into western Louisiana and Texas. The only thing that's working here is Rove's smoke and mirrors campaign to deflect attention away from Junior's (and FEMA's) poor PR (and, in Junior's case, lousy governance - or a lack thereof).

How could anyone possibly think that The Village Idiot "has done a better job" in the aftermath of Rita vs. Katrina?

[OKNancy]

49. kick

[liveoaktx]

50. Poll shows Bush's ratings remain low

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20051002/ts_alt_afp/usbushpoll_051002211345

US President George W. Bush's approval ratings remain low amid public doubts over the war in Iraq and the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, according to a new poll released over the weekend.Bush received a 40 percent approval rating on his job performance in the poll commissioned by Newsweek magazine.
The poll also confirmed deteriorating popular support for the US-led war in Iraq as American casualties in the conflict continue to mount.

Sixty-two percent said they disapproved of the president's handling of the Iraq conflict, up from 60 percent in a previous Newsweek poll.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

51. Thanks, liveoaktx. 62% disapprove of the handling of the Iraq "war".

Awesome. MKJ

[54anickel]

52. There's that picture of him again. ..n/t

[lyonn]

53. bush's poll # goes up because of Rita response?

This blows my mind. How simple are people's view of what is happening in this country. Some think because he made so many trips finally to Katrina's devasted areas and impressed people with his so called response to Rita that he is learning and they feel better about him. Unbelievable. We are in trouble still.

[54anickel]

54. At least Republicans aren't all falling for Delay's song and dance

Twenty-one percent of Republicans believe DeLay probably engaged in serious wrongdoing, the poll showed.

A plurality of Republicans, 47 percent, however, say the case is most likely an attempt by DeLays political rivals to embarrass him.

[yellowcanine]

55. Difference between 38 and 40% is statistical noise. So it could just be

a pause before it plunges lower after the Plame indictments.