Libby Indictment Weighs Down Bush Approval

This post got overtaken quickly by other posts so we’re reposting it from yesterday.

In the latest polling from The Pew Research Center, President Bush’s approval rating has fallen to 36 percent — down four points since late last month. Among Republicans and Independents, the President’s numbers are at an all-time low of 77 percent and 29 percent, respectively. (Note that Independents are 15 points removed from Democrats but 48 percent removed from Republicans.) From Pew:

President George W. Bush’s approval ratings have fallen to another new low, amid a growing focus on alleged ethical lapses in his administration. Just 36% now believe that Bush has lived up to his campaign pledge to restore integrity to the White House.

In contrast, fully 79% of Americans say the recent indictment of I. Lewis Libby, formerly a top aide to Vice President Cheney, on perjury and other charges is a matter of at least some importance to the nation; that is greater than the percentage who said that in 1998 about charges that former President Clinton lied under oath about a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky (65%).

A plurality of Americans (42%) think that Libby is guilty of the charges brought against him. Moreover, an increasing number of Americans think that U.S. and British leaders were mostly lying when they claimed prior to the Iraq war that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction; 43% express that opinion now, up from 31% in February 2004.

Despite mounting criticisms of the president, Bush’s latest nominee for the Supreme Court ­ Judge Samuel Alito Jr.­ has received favorable initial reviews from the public. By nearly two-to-one (40%-23%), Americans say the Senate should confirm Alito to the court. This is similar to the public’s response to Judge John Roberts in mid-September, nearly two months after his nomination, and is a greater vote of confidence than failed nominee Harriet Miers received in early October.

Unfortunately for the administration, the positive glimmers from Alito’s nomination are being overshadowed by negative developments elsewhere. When asked to name the first current news story that comes to mind, Americans most frequently cite the war and troop deaths in Iraq (19%), recent hurricanes and their aftermath (14%), and the Libby case (11%); far fewer mention Bush’s appointments to the Supreme Court (5%).

Among the more interesting findings in the poll is the comparison between President Bush and President Nixon at the same time in their presidencies. George W. Bush’s approval rating is only nine points higher than Richard Nixon’s was in November 1973 — but statistically the same among both Democrats and Independents (Bush has higher support among Republicans).

also on my blog Basie! recently:

• Sen. Finance Chair: No Soc. Sec. Reform Until 2009

• Pacifying Baghdad Within 12 Months
• The Hill: House GOP Doesn’t Yet Have Votes on Budget
• McCain Begins Courting Religious Right