It’s now down at 42 percent in the wake of his and the federal government’s mismanagement of the initial relief and recovery efforts after Katrina tore through New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. According to The Washington Post:
President Bush’s public standing has hit record lows amid broad support for an independent investigation of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina and calls for postponing congressional action on $70 billion in proposed tax cuts to help pay for storm recovery, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
President Bush’s overall job approval rating now stands at 42 percent, the lowest of his presidency and down three points since Hurricane Katrina savaged the Gulf Coast two weeks ago. Fifty-seven percent disapprove of Bush’s performance, a double-digit increase since January.
Bush’s handling of Iraq and terrorism also have never been lower, according to the poll. Thirty-eight percent approve of the way Bush is handling the situation in Iraq and half the country now approve of the way Bush is handling the campaign against terrorism.
A clear majority–54 percent — now disapprove of the way Bush is handling the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Even some members of Bush’s own party appear to have lost faith in their leader: The president’s overall approval rating among Republicans has declined from 91 percent in January to 78 percent in the latest poll. Overall, barely half the country now characterize Bush as a “strong leader” — down 12 points since May of last year. And the percent who say he can be “trusted in a crisis” likewise has fallen from 60 percent to 49 percent now.
Together, the poll portrays an increasingly unpopular president who is under siege at home and abroad. It also suggests that the public is growing impatient with an administration that once seemed so sure-footed but now seems unable to deal effectively with crises at home and abroad.
Read the whole article for more poll results.
Needless to say, Bush is in trouble. Roberts may secure a swift confirmation in the Senate, and perhaps justly so, but what else is out there on the horizon that could boost his popularity in the near future?
Unless the tail starts wagging the dog.