Truespeak

Boy oh boy. When it rains it pours for the Bush administration. What a week they've had. Just today, Michael Brown was relieved of his duties as the overseer of the relief effort along the Gulf Coast and Colin Powell slammed the government's response to the disaster. On top of that, two new polls spell bad news for George. The latest AP/IPSOS (PDF) shows that George has fallen through the forties and landed hard at 39% approval. (More on this later.) The other poll, from CBS News, shows that 60 % disapprove of Bush's handling of the war in Iraq and 58% believe that we should begin withdrawing our troops, including 43% of the Republicans polled. And that's just today.

Also this week, we had Michael Brown's padded resume, Bush's firefighter props, and Barbra Bush's callous comments. And that's just off the top of my head. I can only imagine Karl Rove pulling out what's left of his hair as he watches everything he's worked for turn to shit around him.

But let's get back to that AP/IPSOS poll, shall we? It's not a pretty picture.

Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on
the wrong track?

Right direction........................ 32
Wrong track ........................... 65


Overall, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling his
job as President? (IF APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE, ASK:) Is that strongly (approve/disapprove) or
somewhat (approve/disapprove)? (IF HAVE MIXED FEELINGS OR NOT SURE, ASK:) If you had to
choose, do you lean more toward approve or disapprove?


Strongly approve ...................... 20
Somewhat approve................... 11
Lean toward approval ............... 8
Still have mixed feelings ........... 1
Lean toward disapproval .......... 14
Somewhat disapprove .............. 5
Strongly disapprove.................. 40

Total Approve ......................... 39
Total Disapprove .................... 59


And when it comes to (READ ISSUE) do you approve or disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way
George W. Bush is handling that issue?
(IF APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE, ASK: ) Is that strongly (approve/disapprove) or somewhat (approve/
disapprove)? (IF HAVE MIXED FEELINGS OR NOT SURE, ASK:) If you had to choose, do you lean more
toward approve or disapprove?


Handling the economy

Total Approve - 41
Total Disapprove - 57


Handling domestic
issues like health care,
education, the
environment and energy

Total Approve - 38
Total Disapprove - 59


Handling foreign policy
issues and the war on
terrorism

Total Approve - 43
Total Disapprove - 55


Handling the situation in
Iraq

Total Approve - 37
Total Disapprove - 62


Handling the relief effort
for victims of Hurricane
Katrina

Total Approve - 46
Total Disapprove - 52


Handling gas prices

Total Approve - 27
Total Disapprove - 70

Too bad this is about nine months too late. But 2006 is starting to look better and better. Bush is truly becoming an albatross for the rest of the party. They've backed him unconditionally for so long, it's going to be fun watching them try to distance themselves over the next fifteen months. I get some perverse pleasure from watching Republicans squirm and eat their own. Does that make me a bad person? I sure hope not.

Have a good weekend!