WA Post: "Bush's overall job approval rating has fallen to 39%"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

White House Ethics, Honesty Questioned
55% in Survey Say Libby Case Signals Broader Problems

By Richard Morin and Claudia Deane
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, October 30, 2005; Page A14

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/29/AR2005102901223.html?nav=rss_email/components

A majority of Americans say the indictment of senior White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby signals broader ethical problems in the Bush administration, and nearly half say the overall level of honesty and ethics in the federal government has fallen since President Bush took office, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News survey.

The poll, conducted Friday night and yesterday, found that 55 percent of the public believes the Libby case indicates wider problems "with ethical wrongdoing" in the White House, while 41 percent believes it was an "isolated incident." And by a 3 to 1 ratio, 46 percent to 15 percent, Americans say the level of honesty and ethics in the government has declined rather than risen under Bush.

In the aftermath of the latest crisis to confront the White House, Bush's overall job approval rating has fallen to 39 percent, the lowest of his presidency in Post-ABC polls. Barely a third of Americans -- 34 percent -- think Bush is doing a good job ensuring high ethics in government, which is slightly lower than President Bill Clinton's standing on this issue when he left office.

The survey also found that nearly seven in 10 Americans consider the charges against Libby to be serious. A majority -- 55 percent -- said the decision of Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald to bring charges against Libby was based on the facts of the case, while 30 percent said he was motivated by partisan politics.

[goforit]

1. The majority needs to kick this a** out of office!!!

[AndyTiedye]

3. A Majority Isn't Enough

We saw that in 2000 and 2004.

[LuckyTheDog]

23. He's down!

I say start KICKING!

[Theres-a]

2. Meanwhile 34% of Americans think Adam and Eve

Rode dinosaurs to church!(Saturday Night Live):banghead:

[Faygo Kid]

14. They didn't?????

I know Fred and Wilma did.
:crazy:

[wheresthemind]

4. 30% believe he is partisian? Jesus....

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

9. That's about Fitz, not *.

A majority -- 55 percent -- said the decision of Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald to bring charges against Libby was based on the facts of the case, while 30 percent said he was motivated by partisan politics.

I think such a low figure is pleasantly surprising. If only 30% are crying partisanship this time around, then the dittoheads' numbers must be shrinking.

[rfranklin]

22. No, they think he's a Parisian--pass the Freedom Fries, please

Or pomme frites to you surrender cheese monkeys.

[UrbScotty]

5. But Bush is an ethical president!

And the US declared independence frum France.

Don't you liburlz get it?!

[bhuddaboy]

6. Every Week 39% Is the All Time New Low!

In poll after poll, week after week, the president's approval rating keeps falling just below 40% and hits 39% for the first time and is always reported to be a new low. Ya-da-da-da-da.

This report of 39% today does not feel like the first time.

[mucifer]

7. exactly! I'm confused

[Faygo Kid]

12. Seems like 39 percent is bottoming out

That's as low as it goes. I think it could go to 25% if Bush was revealed as a homosexual Goth ax murderer who is pro choice, but no lower. That's about the percentage of Limbaugh worshippers/BushBots, I figure.

[spooky3]

18. this is the first time that the WaPo's poll has hit 39%.

Other polls have gotten there previously.

[npincus]

32. kind of like that "No 2" man in al-Qaeda that gets killed every month

[Carolab]

8. This part is crucial.

Many Americans believe that others may be involved in the disclosure of Plame's identity to the news media. Nearly half -- 47 percent -- believe that senior White House adviser Karl Rove did something wrong in connection with the case, including nearly a fifth who believe that Rove acted illegally.

On Friday, Rove was not indicted, though Fitzgerald's investigation is continuing.

A smaller but still significant proportion -- 41 percent -- believe Cheney did something wrong, while 44 percent believe he did not.

Most Americans believe Bush had nothing to do with the incidents that resulted in the indictment brought against Libby: 55 percent said the president was not at fault, while 12 percent said he probably did something illegal, and 21 percent said he did something "unethical but not illegal."

[mucifer]

11. yeah, but he still has 39% approval. it' hasn't dropped.

It's been the same for the past few weeks.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

16. People think Rove did something illegal AND ratted Libby out.

He can smirk and talk about what a great weekend he's having and give fake salutes to the press, but all of this "11th hour plea bargaining" isn't going to help Bush.

The news media had been playing that SUPER-SMIRKY clip of Junior introducing "The Architect...KARL ROVE." Go ahead, Dubya. Align yourself with him. Say that if anyone was involved in leaking the name you'll fire them but KEEP your nose firmly planted in Rove's ASS. DO IT. I wanna see you hit the 20s.



:grr:

[Carolab]

21. If people think Rove did do something illegal (which he DID),

then how can it NOT fall back onto Jr.?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

26. damnit! 55% is NOT 'most'

55% is just over HALF! 80% is ALMOST most.

sheesh.

[Carolab]

27. Yes. It's gotten to the point where they do this almost as a rule.

To the point where I read over it, subconsciously noted it, then moved along, whereas I should have had the same reaction as you and immediately written an e-mail to object to it.

We need to be ever vigilant.

On edit: Notice that in an earlier paragraph addressing Libby, they called 55% "a majority" which is closer to the truth.

They need to stop editorializing. Why not just report the numbers themselves without descriptives or qualifications?

[mark11727]

28. Right! And 52% isn't a mandate.

[DanCa]

10. Wasn't the chimp at thirty six percent at one point?

Just wondering.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

13. Depends on the poll and the amount of spin built in...

I've seen "Bush approval at all-time low of 40%" AFTER he hit the high 30s.

All I know is that TODAY, they're saying 39%. Maybe tomorrow we'll capture "Al Quaeda's #2 man" for the 100th time and he'll be back in the 40s.

[DanCa]

15. I know i wish we had information on the pollster.

I dont know who too trust anymore.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

17. I give him high ratings for going

on vacation.... and for the people he has advising him.... here's one now.

[Jackpine Radical]

36. OMG that's funny!!

[Bumblebee]

19. I think it's worse than that -- look at this set of numbers from the poll:

-------- Approve -------- ------- Disapprove ------ No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opin.
10/29/05 39 22 17 58 13 45 3

22% strongly approve to 45% strongly disapprove? That hurts.

[PlanetBev]

20. It doesn't matter if his poll numbers fall to 13%

We're stuck with this nightmare for another three years. It will then take a generation to dig out from this misery these vipers have caused.

That's if we can ever dislodge them at all.

[HockeyMom]

24. As I have said many, many times

I lived through Nixon. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would live to see any President WORSE than Nixon.

George W. Bush and his Administration makes the Nixon Administration look like a bunch of Kindergartners.

Hopefully, members of my generation, across Party lines, will see the same.

PS - I am a life long Independent

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

29. My take on Nixon...

He may have been paranoid, delusional, what have you. But I think the main difference between Nixon and Bush is that Nixon was convinced that he was doing the right thing and Bush is aware that much of what is going on in his administration (including MANY of his own actions) is WRONG.

A subtle distinction, to be sure. Wrong is wrong. I don't believe this garbage about Bush living in a bubble, that he only reads what is spoon-fed to him by Rove and Cheney and that he's in the job because God gave it to him.

Bush KNOWS. I'm convinced of it. He KNOWS he hid from his duty in Vietnam, he KNOWS he went AWOL from the T.A.N.G., he KNOWS that he was LOSING the 2004 election until Rove made a few phone calls...he knows it ALL, he knows it's WRONG, and he doesn't CARE.

I think Nixon had a persecution complex...people who think they are right often do. Bush, on the other hand, seems annoyed every time he or one of his lackeys gets CAUGHT. All of this talk about "moving on"...Libby was indicted FRIDAY. We're not moving ANYWHERE.

[mucifer]

30. nixon was not completely evil

He understood that conservative mean conservation and did some positive things for the environment and other things. As far as I know there is absolutely nothing positive about the bush administration. if someone knows of anything please tell me.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

31. Bush's "base" is much, much better off than they were under Clinton.

That's about it. Lots and lots of Halliburton no-bid contracts, too.

[beltanefauve]

41. To quote Garrison Keillor,

"Richard Nixon was the last Republican leader to feel a Christian obligation toward the poor."

[Robert Cooper]

25. "...since President Bush took office..."

"...nearly half say the overall level of honesty and ethics in the federal government has fallen since President Bush took office..."

"...by a 3 to 1 ratio, 46 percent to 15 percent, Americans say the level of honesty and ethics in the government has declined rather than risen under Bush..."

"...Barely a third of Americans -- 34 percent -- think Bush is doing a good job ensuring high ethics in government, which is slightly lower than President Bill Clinton's standing on this issue when he left office..."

Hanky panky with an intern -EQUALS- 100,000 dead Iraqis, 2000+ dead soldiers, Patriot Act, worst debt, worst deficit, record gas prices, etc...?

They say sexual repression leads to violence...I guess this is the proof.

[sakabatou]

33. Yay!

He's down, but he need to go out for the count.

[Rhiannon12866]

34. So who are this 39% and where have they been for the past

five years?! That's always my first thought when I hear these numbers! Unless they all just awoke from comas, they have no excuse!!!:grr:

[halsaxby]

35. Damn, if his numbers get down to 30% approval....

there going to have to have Al Qaeda blow up Disneyland.

[progressoid]

37. 39% Again?? Didn't we go down this road a couple weeks ago?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

38. He got a one or two point "boost" for his "handling" of Hurricane Rita.

All of those photo ops paid off handsomely for about five minutes.

[beltanefauve]

42. Except that most polls

have a give-or-take margin of 5 to 10 points. So his "boost" means squat!

[Ioo]

39. Thanks - B L O G G E D

http://www.bushsamerica.com/index.php/2005/10/31/numbers_are_in_and_bush_sucks_ass

[opihimoimoi]

40. He is doing what they TEACH NOT TO. This Low poll number reflects

CONFIRMATION.

He should take a hint, admit defeat and RESIGN...SAVE FACE by allowing new attempt to try.

Better than Sempuku...........///