'Giddy Dems' Point to Bush's Sinking Poll Numbers -- GOPUSA

Subscribe | Mobile | RSS | Contact

Printer-Friendly Version

'Giddy Dems' Point to Bush's Sinking Poll Numbers
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
October 14, 2005

(CNSNews.com) -- Both the right and the left have slammed President Bush in recent days, and a new poll reflects the angst on both sides of the political aisle.

The NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, based on the responses of 807 adults, shows that President Bush's approval rating has dropped to a new low of 39 percent. Only 28 percent believe the country is heading in the right direction.

With the 2006 congressional elections looming, 48 percent of poll respondents said they want a Democratic-controlled Congress, compared with 39 percent who wanted Republicans to retain control.

"What it means is there's a trend toward the Democrats," NBC political analyst Tim Russert said Thursday morning on the Today show. "They (Democrats) don't have an alternative proposal - sometimes nothing's a real cool hand," he added.

Democrats would have to make a net gain of 15 House seats and 6 Senate seats to regain control of Congress.

They want to make the election about Katrina and Iraq and energy prices, and given the latest poll numbers, "Democrats "are feeling almost giddy this morning," Russert said.

Russert also noted that only two percent of African-Americans give President Bush a positive rating in the latest poll - something he attributed to memories of Hurricane Katrina. Russert called it a "very dramatic setback" for an administration that has reached out to African-Americans.

"I cannot find a pollster who can remember any president ever getting just two percent approval from African-Americans," Russert said.

Democrats are taking heart in Bush's sinking poll numbers.

The host of one liberal radio talk show predicted that Democrats will take back Congress - and introduce articles of impeachment against President Bush for lying about the war in Iraq.

Democrat bloggers who routinely look for reasons to bash Bush took comfort in the poll as well. "39 people, not 39 percent" approve of Bush, one Democrat wrote. "Buyer's remorse," groused another.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points and was conducted from Oct. 8-10.