# Bush wins 51% of vote last year. Approval now 34%. What changed your minds, 17%? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 17, 2005, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468 "2005-11-17T07:22:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/21 "2005-11-17T16:29:20Z")
… just unwilling to entertain the idea that they might haev been wrong, and that Kerry at the very least would have brought divided government as well as ten times more sincere focus to getting policies correct rather than just 100% focus on covering ones political ass on talk shows. And maybe we would have been able to avoid so quickly becoming the nation that happily embraces and defends torture and complete abdication of all the freedoms we supposedly stood for. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/22 "2005-11-17T16:36:31Z")
> [@Twin](#): > > Could I have a cite for the 34% approval rating? [Today’s WSJ](http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB113216347138199155-5Z1Ri_om8ITUbV_jD2bx6maguMY_20061116.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top). The pollees show similar negative feelings about everyone and everything in it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/23 "2005-11-17T16:41:16Z")
> [@Twin](#): > > Could I have a cite for the 34% approval rating? [Here are a few cites.](http://news.google.com/news?q=bush+approval+ratings+34%25&hl=en&hs=qq6&lr=&c2coff=1&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=N&tab=nn&oi=newsr) ---
**Author:** ![GreyMatters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a9a28c/32.png) [@GreyMatters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreyMatters)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/24 "2005-11-17T18:25:49Z")
The question is a little misleading. I supported Bush during the election mostly because I disliked the politics of Kerry even more than I disagreed with Bush’s. When given the two choices, Bush was my choice. I know, it is a sad world when those are the only two choices to be the president. This is very different than whether I support Bush’s politics against all other possible politics out there, which I don’t now or ever. I think that is what the current poll is asking since there really isn’t a comparison against anyone in particular in the poll. Then again, I wasn’t polled so I am not really a part of the 17% anyway. But, if I was, I would have been part of the 51% and 17% before and after the election. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/25 "2005-11-17T18:40:33Z")
> [@](#): > > This makes a very poor assumption: That anyone who “disapproves” of the President’s handling of his job would not have voted for him last year. An election is not a measure of approval; it’s a contest between who you dislike least. The “those who voted may not have approved” issue is a bit of a red herring; Bush’s approval rating right before the election was about 50% ([http://poll.gallup.com/BLOG/default.aspx?a=11012004](http://poll.gallup.com/BLOG/default.aspx?a=11012004)) So there _has_ clearly been a shift on the part of many people who did once approve. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/26 "2005-11-17T22:03:50Z")
> [@Gaudere](#): > > The “those who voted may not have approved” issue is a bit of a red herring; Bush’s approval rating right before the election was about 50% ([Gallup News | Nonpartisan Analysis of Critical Global Issues](http://poll.gallup.com/BLOG/default.aspx?a=11012004)) So there _has_ clearly been a shift on the part of many people who did once approve. True as that might be, it still isn’t correct to assume the truth of the OP. If the election were held today, would Kerry collect 66 percent of the vote? I think not… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![JonScribe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3be4f8/32.png) [@JonScribe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonScribe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/27 "2005-11-17T22:30:56Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > True as that might be, it still isn’t correct to assume the truth of the OP. If the election were held today, would Kerry collect 66 percent of the vote? I think not… 😛 Maybe not 66 percent, but it’s not a stretch to assume that Kerry would win if the election had it been held this year and not last. The question now is if this level of dissatisfation with Bush and the GOP will continue for another 11 months. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/28 "2005-11-17T22:40:50Z")
66%? Probably not. More than 53%. Oh, yeah. Lump together the lefties who didn’t vote for Gore because he wasn’t left _enough_ with the honest right who are disgusted with a rotting-from-the-head-down admin. Add in the former Bush supporters who simply won’t get up out of their chairs to support someone who has embarassed them, or even to stall the desperate threat of Bruce marrying Kevin… 66%? Maybe not. You are welcome to whatever comfort that provides you. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/29 "2005-11-18T00:30:38Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Given the statistics, 17% of the population supported Bush last year but now disapprove. That translates into about a third of his supporters bailing on him. > > This question is directed towards that 17%. What has happened within the past year to make you no longer support Bush? It doesn’t follow that 51% of the population approved of Bush. They may have voted for him because they disapproved of Kerry more and thought that voting for someone else was useless. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/30 "2005-11-18T04:34:42Z")
> [@Steve MB](#): > > It doesn’t follow that 51% of the population approved of Bush. They may have voted for him because they disapproved of Kerry more and thought that voting for someone else was useless. 50% approved of him according to polls. 51% voted for him. Perhaps there is some small amount of overlap, but those two numbers seem pretty strongly connected to me. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/31 "2005-11-18T04:57:51Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > However, I can spell out some of the issues which have been disappointing to me in his second term: > > 1. Spending. I believed Bush to be a conservative in moderates clothing during his first term. His outspending of Clinton on welfare and social programs was just a political move to outflank his opponents on the left, or so I thought. In a second term, with no election to worry about, I assumed that Bush would get much more conservative and cut down spending. This hasn’t happened. The Republican congress and president are a dismal failure in this regard. As a weak former supporter coming from the libertarian philosophy, this one about sums it up for me. The man has all the bad qualities of Reagan in that regard except he has a much less focused and indecipherable philosophy. I have no idea how he decides to spend money. > [@Debaser](#): > > 1. SCOTUS appointments. What’s the point of having a conservative president if you can’t get tried and true conservative appointments to the court? Maybe Harriet Miers would have been a competent, conservative judge. We had no proof of either. All of Bush’s picks so far seem to be more guided by politics than by an actual desire to stock the court with the best candidates. Even Alito, whom I think will be a great judge, seems to have been picked because the right forced him to, not because he actually wanted to do the right thing. I think Roberts was a slam dunk best possible pick though. The Supreme Court will carry his name for decades. I have no idea what he was thinking with the second round. Maybe he is a genius because his strategy is incomprehensible to lesser men. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/32 "2005-11-18T05:10:42Z")
No, it’s incomprehensible to me as well. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/33 "2005-11-18T06:58:35Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > 50% approved of him according to polls. 51% voted for him. Perhaps there is some small amount of overlap, but those two numbers seem pretty strongly connected to me. Clinton only got 43% & 49% in '92 and '96, yet his approval ratings were always well over 50%. Your OP is flawed because it’s apples & oranges: \*Just because I voted for Bush doesn’t mean I approve of the job he’s doing \*Just because I approve of the job he’s doing doesn’t mean I voted for him \*Just because I disagree with him politically doesn’t mean I disaprove of the job he’s doing. \*Just because I agree with him on political issues doesn’t mean I approve of the job he’s doing. \*And just because I may disapprove of the job he’s doing does not mean I think Kerry (or Gore) would be doing a better job. And so on, and so on. Election day is usually a decision between a kick in the ass or a kick in the nuts. For me Dems are almost always a kick in the nuts. Regardless of whether or not I agree or approve of what President Bush is doing, I’m confidant that I’d agree & approve even less if it were Kerry or Gore doing their thing. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/34 "2005-11-18T07:34:54Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > …I’m confidant that I’d agree & approve even less if it were Kerry or Gore doing their thing. So, we got this guy, squandered a couple thousand of our lives, God alone only knows how many of theirs, pissed away our repuration amongst the world, and threw a quarter of a trillion dollars down the crapper. What does that leave for Gore to do? A compulsory homosexuality Amendment? Pour anthrax spores into the water supply? Surrender California to North Korea? Bars set pretty high, you know. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2005, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468/35 "2005-11-18T07:46:38Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > What does that leave for Gore to do? How would I know? He’s never won a Presidential election. But if he did I probably wouldn’t like what he did. Then again, like I said before, just because I don’t vote for someone doesn’t mean I disapprove of the job their doing. Were talking about the OP and how the question is skewed, remember? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-wins-51-of-vote-last-year-approval-now-34-what-changed-your-minds-17/331468.md?page=1)