A new Newsweek poll shows American support for the Bush administration is strong but wavering because of worries about Iraq and the U.S. economy. Although most Americans?65 percent?give George W. Bush high marks on his handling of the presidency, Bush’s ratings have fallen 6 percent from mid April, when American troops entered Baghdad, according to the latest NEWSWEEK poll.
Now that the war has officially ended, American confidence in the Bush administration’s ability to maintain peace and create a workable democratic government in Iraq seems to be wavering slightly. Three weeks ago, 74 percent of Americans?an all-time high?said they approved of the way Bush was handling Iraq; that number has since fallen by 5 points. While most Americans?63 percent?are very confident or somewhat confident that the United States will be able to establish democracy in Iraq, 33 percent are not as sure it can be done.
As the focus on Iraq ebbs, the U.S. economy is again weighing heavily on American minds. Sixty-two percent say the economy and jobs will be the determining factor in who they vote for in the 2004 presidential election, although half of those polled did not think a Democratic president would handle the economy any better than Bush.
But that doesn’t mean they are happy with the current economic climate: Fewer than half of those polled?45 percent?think Bush is doing a good job with the economy, down 8 percent from the end of March.
In domestic policy matters, Bush received his lowest grades in health care?with only 39 percent approval. Although the highest approval ratings?74 percent?were for Bush’s policies toward terrorism at home, that number has declined n 4 percent from three weeks ago, when Americans were feeling especially confident about the outcome in Iraq.
I've said it all along, Bush's poll numbers were false, and as the war went, so went his numbers. Now that the war is um, over, Americas attention will go back to what is really important---the economy and security here at home. Bush will not win any elections based on these things.
Hope you all enjoyed riding high on the war tide for a while. By November 2004, nobody will give a lick about the war, it will be ancient history, as we all know America has the collective memory of a fruitfly.
Remember those chickens I told you not to count....
