# GWB's approval ratings now at lowest point of his presidency. Is he done in '04? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 6, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007 "2003-09-06T23:27:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/1 "2003-09-06T23:27:15Z")
[Zogby.com](http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=732) > [@](#): > > President George W. Bush’s job performance ratings have reached the lowest point since his pre-Inauguration days, continuing a steady decline since a post-9/11 peak, according to a new Zogby America poll of 1,013 likely voters conducted September 3-5. > > Less than half (45%) of the respondents said they rated his job performance good or excellent, while a majority (54%) said it was fair or poor. In August Zogby International polling, his rating was 52% positive, 48% negative. Today’s results mark the first time a majority of likely voters have given the president an unfavorable job performance rating since he took office. Shrub’s approval ratings are now the lowest they’ve ever been. They’ve been declining for months with no indication that they will change any time soon. Casualties continue mount in Iraq, the economy, while showing some minor signs of life, is still terrible and Bush now has some major credibility issues. Furthermore, a plurality of voters now say that they would choose any Democrat over GWB. > [@](#): > > Just two in five (40%) said they would choose Bush if the election were held today, while 47% said they would elect a Democratic candidate. In August polling, respondents were split (43% each) over President Bush or any Democratic challenger. It doesn’t sound good for the Smirk, IMO. I think he better start planning his library. Can any Bush supporters tell me why I’m wrong? What’s going to happen to save Shrub’s reelection bid? How confident are you really? Remember, he lost the popular vote the first time and he now has even less popular approval than he did then. What do these new numbers really mean? Is he really in trouble? What would it take for him to get his numbers back up? In short, is he toast or isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/2 "2003-09-06T23:27:58Z")
Ah, they’re 1920’s style “Death Rays”. ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/3 "2003-09-06T23:29:54Z")
only time will tell who has fell and who’s been left behind ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/4 "2003-09-06T23:29:59Z")
Oops, I meant to put this in GD…if a mod could be so kind? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/5 "2003-09-06T23:31:19Z")
Oops. Thought this was a **Reeder** thread. ---
**Author:** ![1kBR\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/dc4da7/32.png) [@1kBR\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1kBR_Kid)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/6 "2003-09-06T23:31:56Z")
In short, I can’t see the future. I have no idea. I don’t think the situation in Iraq will be the same in 14 months. If for no other reason, the soldiers will come home to improve the president’s approval rating…IMHO anyway. Like I said, I can’t see the future. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/7 "2003-09-06T23:33:19Z")
Well, there has been one point in his presidency in which he has had the stolid and unwavering support of a vast majority of Americans. Namely, the period immediately following the destruction of the WTC on 9/11. If anything blows up a few weeks before the election, Bush is a freakin’ shoo-in. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/8 "2003-09-06T23:36:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Michael Ellis \* > \*\*Oops. Thought this was a **Reeder** thread. \*\* What does that mean? 😕 I assume it’s an insult but could you explain it? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/9 "2003-09-06T23:43:00Z")
It’s hard to say. At this point in the first Bush’s term, his ratings were in the 60s, and he would up losing the election. On the other hand, at this point in Reagan’s first term, his ratings were in the low 40s. and he ended up winning by a landslide. It’s really too early to tell, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Muldoon\_s\_Squishiness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Muldoon\_s\_Squishiness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muldoon_s_Squishiness)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/10 "2003-09-06T23:53:13Z")
Well, I’m eager to see how many lies Shrub will vomit out the American people during his speech tomorrow night. With reports that up to another 1.8 million jobs will be lost in the next 6 months, Shrub has a lot of explaining to do, and he can’t blame it on a Democratically controlled Congress. But like so many Republicans before him, it’s a really safe bet thjat Shrub will try and pull some of the old Bait and Switch tactics on the public. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/11 "2003-09-07T00:02:24Z")
He already has. He was flogging the hell out of his “education miracle” on the radio just today. The only thing miraculous about “No Child Left Behind” is how the schools are supposed to find the money to comply with the new legal requirements imposed on them. ---
**Author:** ![pantom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/34f0e0/32.png) [@pantom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantom)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/12 "2003-09-07T00:34:23Z")
Don’t count your chickens yet. It’s real early, and he is the incumbent. OTOH, the last jobs report really stunk. Manufacturing hours worked went nowhere, and no hiring in that sector is going to take place until that number starts to head north. Hiring of temporary workers has seriously slowed down the last couple of months; that area was giving hope prior to this because the number of temporary workers hired was rising nicely, and that’s usually a leading indicator of more permanent hires later. It’s getting very late for Bush now, as far as jobs. All the GDP stats in the world are meaningless unless he can get some job creation going. Latest jobs report: [http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm](http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/13 "2003-09-07T00:52:25Z")
I was gonna post something pretty similar, thread wise. I thought the Zogby poll was really stunning. I was expecting a one to two point drop like a child expects a pony but 6-7 in one month! GeeDubya has the glide ratio of a stone. I was only concerned that it might be considered trolling. Which would be wrong, of course. It might also be considered gloating, which is a little closer to the truth. Still, its a long long way, and they’ve got a gazillion dollars. But wouldn’t it be great if the guy with all the money got creamed anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/14 "2003-09-07T00:55:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*What does that mean? 😕 > > I assume it’s an insult but could you explain it? \*\* If I may interpret; your post was critical of the president and was obviously not made while sucking the president off, therefore, in an attempt to discredit your post that had a stated opinion and informative links, you were compared to Reeder who, although he dislikes the president, is known for his drive by posts with 0 content. In short, you are failing to show the correct deference to the maniac that is currently running our country. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/15 "2003-09-07T00:57:49Z")
Moved, at the request of Mssr. **the Cynic**. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/16 "2003-09-07T01:04:51Z")
Thanks, **Uke**. **Binarydrome** : yeah, I figured it was something like that. I’m on **Reeder’s** side politically but i have noticed that some of his OPs have been a little specious. I wish him well, though. His (bleeding) heart is in the right place. I think he has potential. I’d hate to see him end up as the liberal version of a certain, recently banned winter month. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/17 "2003-09-07T01:27:35Z")
You ready to offer up a bet now, **Diogenes**? Special offer, for you only - same terms I offered before. ---
**Author:** ![Binarydrone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Binarydrone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Binarydrone)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/18 "2003-09-07T01:32:35Z")
Just a quick disclaimer: My earlier post was made while this thread was in the Pit. Though the language and sentiment it has is now inappropriate, no harm was intended. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/19 "2003-09-07T02:17:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bricker \* > \*\*You ready to offer up a bet now, **Diogenes**? Special offer, for you only - same terms I offered before. \*\* Can you refresh my memory? I don’t seem to recall what bet you’re referring to? Are you proposing a wager on the election? No dice, I’m not crazy. This guy cheats. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007/20 "2003-09-07T02:48:10Z")
Yes, last year I proposed a wager, which none of the ultra-Bush haters took up, but the more moderate **Jonathan Chance** did. But it appears you’ve answered your own question. Bush will be President 2004-2008, one way or another, in your view - by winning or by cheating. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gwbs-approval-ratings-now-at-lowest-point-of-his-presidency-is-he-done-in-04/200007.md?page=2)