Bush's disapproval was 65 in the most recent AP-Ipsos also.

Then we can really start breathing easy. Lets be realistic: An approval of 31% shows that there is almost one in three Americans who believe Bush is a good president.

that finding, is, in and of itself shocking. I am non partisan, and independent. Bush is undoubtedly the worst president ever - he is a liar, he is incompetent, he took us to war unjustly - he has spied on us, stolen from us, and is destroying our country.

So when you meet one in three people who say he's ok - thats huge. Thats mammoth. We still have alot of work left to do. Raise the stakes.

I honestly thought that mid-30s were as low as Bush could go. Poll htat start coming out that show approval below 30%, and maybe even disapproval about 70%...it's not so unthinkable now.

And to think that Rhode Island used to be the only state that had numbers resembling that. Wow. Americans are sure beginning to wake up.

. . . on how long a period of time other Presidents suffered through their approval lows.  

While Bush I, Nixon, Carter and Truman may have hit approval depths lower than Bush II's in a single Gallup poll, the latter's approval ratings have been quite low for quite some time.  I believe it's been over a year since he saw even 50%, and it's been in the low 40's and 30's in Gallup polls all year (i.e. calendar 2006) - in fact, it's been bouncing back and forth between the low 40's and 30's in Gallup polls since last October.  

From looking at the polling information on Bush's approval numbers collected at the Polling Report ( http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm ) it appears that Bush's average approval rating in all of Gallup's reported polls since their 10/13 - 10/15/05 poll stands at about 39% . . . that's an average of about 39% approval over the course of over half-a-year (with not one Gallup poll showing an approval of more than 43% during that period).

So it's not just the low approval ratings Gallup is registering for Bush II, (and it's not just his high disapproval ratings, either) - it's the consistency of Bush II's low approval numbers over relatively long periods of time.  

Just look at the trend lines of this graph:

http://politicalarithmetik.blogspot.com/ 2006/05/bush-approval-at-34-in-gallup-33 -in.html

or indeed the historical comparisons:

http://politicalarithmetik.blogspot.com/ 2006/05/midterm-presidential-approval-an d-2006.html

I happen to think that it has simply become uncool to support the president. Regardless of whether you are left or right, the guy is just not credible and each month a few more people make the leap; they're not coming back: Worst. President. Ever.

What amazes me is the protection he gets from the press when the clear "story" is that the president is not up to the job.

The most important election, by far, in this country is the Presidential election. The president shapes the Supreme Court, Wars, and can veto everything he or she wants, even if the opposing party has a huge vote/seat margin in both the Senate and the House. With Bush in such anemic shape (which he will likely be in through 08), the important thing about the 2006 election is how it affects the 2008 one.

Chris had some excellent writings a while back on the 2006 Governors races and how key they are as a set-up to the ultra-consequential 2008 Presidential election. I read a recent article that very much convinced me of this fact -- of how key Governorships are. MYDDers, If you get a chance, take a look at this article:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/article s/2006/05/how_2006_will_affect_the_2008. html

This article will make you view the election of 06 a little differently (i.e., through the eyes of opposition GOP strategists, and where they are looking to poach in tenuous Democratic territory)

It's quite clear to this blogger that the Governors races of 06 are a much bigger deal to the future of politics in this country, than the U.S. House races of 06.

Harry Truman scored the highest disapproval rating in Gallup's history -- 67% -- in January 1952. Truman also scored the lowest approval rating in Gallup's history, 23%, in the same poll.

http://poll.gallup.com/content/default.a spx?ci=10534&pg=2

Bush's approval ratings have taken a hit because the racist wing of the Republican Party is mad at him about immigration.

Ironically, he is taking a beating for doing the right thing.

A right wing uprising is not necessarily a good thing, but stranger things have happened.

Given his awful approval ratings it's time to shut down Bush's entire legislative agenda. That means filibustering, or threatening to filibuster, in the Senate. Of course we only have 45 votes and there are always the Ben Nelsons and Kent Conrads who will prevent Reid&Co from mounting successful filibusters. Bush has been unpopular throughout his entire second term and yet has been able to pass nearly all of his agenda. Congressional Democrats allow crap like Tort and Bankruptcy "reform" to pass while crowing about how they prevented Bush and his allies from destroying Social Security and progressive taxation. I don't think preventing the most popular parts of the New Deal from being destroyed while allowing Bush to pass the rest of his agenda is anything to celebrate. Time to get the few wayward Democrats in the House and Senate to stop handing Republicans victory after victory. If the congressional Democrats can't stop Bush when he's in the low 30's then what good are they?

The REAL problem is the 30% is mostly Lap Dog Media hacks hoping for head table seats at the next "dePress Corp" Dinner Prez Stroke-a-thon.

Democrats ought to tighen up an not even pass gas . . . Bush has destroyed America long enough!