Poll: Bush's Approval Remains Low
Heading Into State Of The Union, Just 42 Percent Approve Of President
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Play CBS Video Video Bush News Conference Analysis Only On The Web: John Roberts reports on President Bush's press conference, during which he discussed Hamas' victory and defended the domestic spying program.
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Video Bush Defends Domestic Spying In his first press conference of 2006, President Bush addressed the media on several issues including wiretapping, which he says is legal and crucial in the war against terrorism.
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Video Bush On Katrina Reconstruction CBS News RAW: President Bush discussed the rebuilding efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
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President Bush (AP)
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Interactive Bush Presidency The president's agenda, plus facts, figures, major events and key personalities.
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Interactive 2005 State Of The Union The president's annual message to Congress and the nation.
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Interactive The 109th Congress Meet the leaders and follow the action in the House and Senate.
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
Clinton, January 1998
Reagan, January 1986
Nixon, January 1974 (Gallup Poll)
Eisenhower, January 1958 (Gallup Poll)
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
No
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
Economy and jobs
Terrorism
Health care
The President
Gas/heating oil
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Michelle Obama tells how her role as the First Lady has changed her perspective.




