Poll: Bush's Approval Remains Low
President Bush's approval rating is stuck at a dismal 42 percent as he heads into next week's State of the Union address, according to the latest CBS News/New York Times poll.
Fifty-one percent of Americans give him a negative job approval rating. It's the first time in his presidency he'll give a State of the Union speech with a majority of the residents of the country saying they disapprove of the job he's doing.
While most Americans believe Mr. Bush displays strong leadership qualities, when it comes to helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina, just 25 percent of those polled think the Bush administration has a clear plan.
The public is divided over Mr. Bush's secret domestic surveillance program, with just more than half saying they approve of his authorization of wiretaps without warrants to fight terrorism.
At the same time, a clear majority, 64 percent, is concerned that the Bush administration's anti-terrorism measures could threaten their civil liberties. A third are "very concerned."
Mr. Bush's job approval rating, which never reached 50 percent during all of 2005, is significantly lower than other modern two-term presidents. Of the past five presidents elected to a second term, only Richard Nixon received lower ratings at the same point in his administration.
Approval Ratings During Second Terms
Bush, January 2006
42 percent
Clinton, January 1998
58 percent
Reagan, January 1986
65 percent
Nixon, January 1974 (Gallup Poll)
26 percent
Eisenhower, January 1958 (Gallup Poll)
58 percent
Hurricane Katrina
Few Americans — 25 percent — believe the Bush administration has a clear plan for assisting the victims of Hurricane Katrina. This number is up slightly from last month, but 67 percent of Americans continue to believe that the Administration does not have a clear plan for finding housing and jobs for the people left homeless by the Hurricane.
Does the Bush administration have a clear plan to find homes and jobs for victims?
Yes
25 percent
No
67 percent
The war in Iraq
Americans continue to rank the war in Iraq as the country's most important problem, ahead of the economy and jobs. Nine percent name terrorism as the top concern, a jump of 5 percent from earlier this month, before the release of the new Osama bin Laden tape.
Most Important Problem:
War in Iraq
22 percent
Economy and jobs
14 percent
Terrorism
9 percent
Health care
4 percent
The President
4 percent
Gas/heating oil
4 percent
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. Fifty-one percent of Americans give him a negative job approval rating. It's the first time in his presidency he'll give a State of the Union speech with a majority of the residents of the country saying they disapprove of the job he's doing.
While most Americans believe Mr. Bush displays strong leadership qualities, when it comes to helping the victims of Hurricane Katrina, just 25 percent of those polled think the Bush administration has a clear plan.
The public is divided over Mr. Bush's secret domestic surveillance program, with just more than half saying they approve of his authorization of wiretaps without warrants to fight terrorism.
At the same time, a clear majority, 64 percent, is concerned that the Bush administration's anti-terrorism measures could threaten their civil liberties. A third are "very concerned."
Mr. Bush vs. other presidents
Read the data and analysis from new CBS News polls on these topics:The Bush Presidency and The State Of The Union (.pdf) Congress, The Abramoff Scandals and The Alito Nomination (.pdf)
Mr. Bush's job approval rating, which never reached 50 percent during all of 2005, is significantly lower than other modern two-term presidents. Of the past five presidents elected to a second term, only Richard Nixon received lower ratings at the same point in his administration.
Approval Ratings During Second Terms
Bush, January 2006
42 percentClinton, January 1998
58 percentReagan, January 1986
65 percentNixon, January 1974 (Gallup Poll)
26 percentEisenhower, January 1958 (Gallup Poll)
58 percentHurricane Katrina
Few Americans — 25 percent — believe the Bush administration has a clear plan for assisting the victims of Hurricane Katrina. This number is up slightly from last month, but 67 percent of Americans continue to believe that the Administration does not have a clear plan for finding housing and jobs for the people left homeless by the Hurricane.
Does the Bush administration have a clear plan to find homes and jobs for victims?
Yes
25 percentNo
67 percentThe war in Iraq
Americans continue to rank the war in Iraq as the country's most important problem, ahead of the economy and jobs. Nine percent name terrorism as the top concern, a jump of 5 percent from earlier this month, before the release of the new Osama bin Laden tape.
Most Important Problem:
War in Iraq
22 percentEconomy and jobs
14 percentTerrorism
9 percentHealth care
4 percentThe President
4 percentGas/heating oil
4 percent- no previous page
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