Poll: Bush Gets Terror Boost, But...

President's Approval Rating In CBS Survey Unchanged At 36% Despite Unraveling Of London Terror Plot

(CBS)  The dismantling of the London terror plot hasn't helped President Bush with U.S. voters, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll.

The survey shows that while the president received a modest boost for his handling of terrorism (55 percent approve) in the wake of the plot, concerns about Iraq, the economy and the Mideast neutralized that advantage. As a result, Mr. Bush's approval rating remained at 36 percent.

That number was unchanged from last week and from a poll conducted in July, before the latest terrorist-related arrests in Great Britain. For most of this year, Mr. Bush's approval rating has hovered in the mid 30s.

The survey also suggests that the partisan divide has grown a bit wider in recent months. The president's approval rating among Republicans has risen slightly, from 68 percent in April to 74 percent now. But only about three in 10 independents approve of the job Mr. Bush is doing, as do less than one in 10 Democrats.

Both terrorism (24 percent) and the war in Iraq (22 percent) are at the top of Americans’ list of the priorities they would most like to see addressed.

And the president’s approval rating on terrorism, historically his strongest suit, has risen in this poll, to 55 percent now, up from 51 percent earlier in August. This is the highest it has been since July 2005.

While he gets credit for dealing with terrorism, Mr. Bush is still hampered by low approval ratings on one of the most important issues of the day, the war in Iraq.

Only three in 10 Americans approve of how he is handling the war, and more than twice as many -– 65 percent -- disapprove. Since early this year, only about three in 10 Americans have approved of the president’s handling of Iraq.

Many Americans don’t see a link between the war in Iraq and the war on terror, which may help to explain the very different ratings the president receives on the two issues.

When asked if the war in Iraq was part of a general war on terror, 51 percent of Americans say it is not – matching the largest percentage since the question was first asked in 2003. Forty-four percent say it is part of the war on terror, including 32 percent who say it is a major part.

Almost half of all Americans – 46 percent - believe the Bush administration has focused too much on Iraq over the last couple of years and not enough on terrorism elsewhere in the world, the highest number since CBS started asking the question a year ago.

The president's approval rating is also being held down by voter dissatisfaction with the economy. Only 35 percent have a favorable view of his economic stewardship.

Americans are also clearly pessimistic when assessing the direction the country is going in as a whole. Now 67 percent of all Americans think the country is off on the wrong track, while just 29 percent think the country is going in the right direction.

[joe_x-2009]

The media, unfortunately, has treated dubya with kid gloves. It's almost like this administration has some dark secret lording over the media and they will use that "secret" if the media does any in depth investigation. When the media should be doing heavy lifting and investigating this administration.....they get "distracted" by Jon Benet or teens missing in Aruba...

[rtup]

Lets hope the national press is a lot more fair and a lot kinder to your new star, Katie Couric, than you and they have been to President Bush. If not, I'm sure her poll numbers will be low also.

[joe_x-2009]

Oh yeah....Grand OIL Party....is why

[joe_x-2009]

Jerry- You've drunk the Bush Kool Aid. I'm afraid we've lost you. Of course Bush doesn't run the country according to no stinkin "approval ratings"...shoot, he's a cowboy, no one is going to tell him what to do otherwise we would have already been out of Iraq. However much of an evil dictator Saddam Hussein was, for good or bad he had control of his country and there was no way terrorists were going to be permitted to infiltrate and threaten his power. The result of George "bring em on" Bush's illegal war in Iraq is that it has destabilized the whole region and infested the country with terrorists who are killing our brave soldiers on a daily basis (as Bush slashes Vet benefits at home), for what "noble cause" again? That he is "trying and in a human being" is not good enough, maybe if he actually had some Vets in his administration instead of "chicken hawks" clamoring for draft deferments...there would be a different story. I understand Afghanistan, but could someone please tell me why we are in Iraq?

[jerry-mich]

THE COUNTRY SHOULD NOT BE RUN ON "APPROVAL RATINGS", BUT ON WHATS RIGHT OR WRONG.PRESIDENT BUSH IS DOING THE BEST JOB HE CAN I'M SURE. SINCE THIS IS HIS LAST TERM, WHY WOULD HE CONCERN HIMSELF WITH APPROVAL RATINGS??AMERICANS SHOULD LEARN TO FINISH WHAT WE START. NOT RUN AWAY EVERYTIME. PUBLIC OPINION IS LIKE THE WEATHER, IT CHANGES CONTINUALLY. THE WORLD CHANGES EVERYDAY. MOST OF THE PEOPLE DOING THE JUDGING ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO MAKE THAT DECISION, THEY HAVEN'T PUT ANY TIME IN THE MILITARY, AND HAVE NO CONCEPT OF WHAT WAR IS LIKE. EITHER WE FIGHT ON SOMEONE ELSES TURF, OR IN THE STREETS OF DETROIT, CHICAGO, NEW YORK OR DENVER. GIVE THE MAN A BREAK. HE'S A HUMAN BEING, AND I'M SURE HAS MADE MISTAKES THRE SAME AS ALL OF US HAVE. AMERICANS FOLLOW THROUGH DON'T MAKE THIS ANOTHER VIET NAM PLEASE.

[long_rider]

The only boost the chimp needs is out of office. He has been a disgrace to this country long enough.

As for Osama bin Laden, they don't want to capture him. Who would they have to blame for their lies? The fighting would still go on.

Besides the bin Laden family is close friends with the bush family.

[rihan156]

They have enflammed the whole world, generated a real mess worldwide (Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel/lebanon,Somalia), and created division (there are more Iraqis killed since the invasion in 2003 than during the whole Saddam reign). At the national level, hate crime increased more than 30%. I was wondering if it was because of incompetence but lately I began thinking of deliberate intention to make sure these wars occur so that interests groups affiliated to the Bush administration benefit from other people's death and ordeals, including Israel they say they want to help.

There should be an international law requiring that no leader can take his country to war unless his/her children/close relatives (at least three at all time) also are on the battleground (frontline). If one dies, the leader sends another one in replacement; if he does not have any relative left, then war is over. Not so childish given the madness you are living.

When wars erupt, leaders are the first ones to dash toward the first bunker and their undisclosed locations while populations remain exposed to bombs; don%u2019t tell me that preserving their lives is the only way for the earth to keep revolving on its axis! It also is so easy to say, "I will not back down' when you are thousand miles away from where the bombs rain and watch without incurring any harm. Give me a break!

[joe_x-2009]

With the recent threat to America, uncovered by old-fashioned police work by the Brits....We should trust Bush in the "War on Terror"?? Wake Up America!!!

"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him."
- G.W. Bush, 9/13/01

"I want justice...There's an old poster out West, as I recall, that said, 'Wanted: Dead or Alive,'"
- G.W. Bush, 9/17/01, UPI

"...Secondly, he is not escaping us. This is a guy, who, three months ago, was in control of a county [sic]. Now he's maybe in control of a cave. He's on the run. Listen, a while ago I said to the American people, our objective is more than bin Laden. But one of the things for certain is we're going to get him running and keep him running, and bring him to justice. And that's what's happening. He's on the run, if he's running at all. So we don't know whether he's in cave with the door shut, or a cave with the door open -- we just don't know...."
- Bush, in remarks in a Press Availablity with the Press Travel Pool,
The Prairie Chapel Ranch, Crawford TX, 12/28/01, as reported on
official White House site

"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."
- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02

"I am truly not that concerned about him."
- G.W. Bush, repsonding to a question about bin Laden's whereabouts,
3/13/02 (The New American, 4/8/02)

[melmarr-2009]

Dictator bush (not worthy of capitalization) needs to go. This country can't afford the Bush administration any longer. 2 more years will put us in poverty and morning that we may not recover from.

[emhawks]

Many of you have expressed exactly how I feel about the Iraq war, Bush & the war on terror. Someone stated in another blog posting, that this is not a war on terror but a war of terror.
I want to comment on the recall of thousands of Marines. I feel this way:
Even though our military is all volunteer, they shouldn't be placed carelessly in harm's way for a bloody, useless war that is being fought not for the protection of America, but for oil, war profiteering, & power/personal gain of Bush/Cheney (& individuals within their adm. & the Carlye Group).
Something else to think about:
We have been told by Bush/Cheney that our involvement in Iraq is the greatest struggle this nation has faced in decades,& that this war is vital & necessary for the peace & security of the Mid. East & the US. Bush/Cheney have told us that sacrifices in this war must be made to make the world safer.
If Bush/Cheney truly believe this (& their statements/speeches/actions clearly indicate they do), I must ask them:
Where is their personal sacrifice? Why aren't their children serving in the military? Why aren't their children in Iraq or some other type of militery support capacity in the Mid. East?
Bush/Cheney has asked thousands of American families to sacrifice their sons, daughters, husbands & wives. But where is their sacrifice to lay upon the altar for this ctusade?

[lylepink]

I don't see how this war on terror could have the effect it is having. Just who and where are these folks? Wasn't OBL back of 9/11 and where is he??

[capejm2]

Open borders and ports make it easy for a terrorist strike and Bush seems to be in the dark on these problems so how can he be better on terror.
Civil war is killing over 3,400 per month in Iraq now. Iraq is at least 12 times smaller than the USA. That would be equal to over 40,000 Americans being killed in a month. STILL Bush says its not a civil war. We cry for 3,000 killed in 9/11. A small number compared to those who die in Iraq every week.

[jbb333]

I'd like to re-post a short version of my comments because some kind of weird symbol showed up in them. Just the FACTS:
Bush brags that we haven't been hit on our own soil for nearly five years.
The WTC was hit one month into Bill Clinton's presidency: 6 deaths
We weren't hit on our own soil again for 8 years and 8 months. On Bush's watch: nearly 3000 deaths

On foreign soil under Clinton (8 yrs.)terrorists attacked our embassies (about 250 American deaths) and the USS Cole (17 troop deaths).
Bush decided to "take the fight to the enemy" just over 3 yrs ago. So far, nearly 3000 troops deaths on foreign soil (and 3000 Iraqi deaths during July alone)

Better at fighting terrorism?!!?
The FACTS say they are incompetent failures.

[echoesofdawn]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that the British government were the one's responsible for uncovering the London terror plot, and we took extra precautions based off of their intellegence.

My other thought is, why are we supporing a man who is deliberately trying to divide a nation, by political parties. Why are we allowing ourselves to be manipulated into believing that the oil executives are not doing our economy harm through their excessive profits, and that the government is opposed to taxing their outlandish profits. I mean, god forbid that the oil executives have to pay taxes like the rest of us. Also, why is it as a country, are we really that stupid to not stand up and ask questions? But instead, we just bend over and take it, without asking why, and believing that "free thought" is automatically associated with the term liberalism, and that having concerns for our nation (education, health care, etc etc.) are only associated with "liberals" and that "Liberalism" is a negative word. I think we need to reevaluate where this country is headed, and instead of pushing away ideas from the opposite political party, but instead review them, and the significance they may have on our nation, as well as others.

[tingL]

(1) If the US doesn't do it and do it right for US and the world, probably no one else will or can.

(2) Bringing the world together is not an easy job, but initial positive responses show that the world is coming to terms and coming together. It will take generations to complete the job. But for all the peoples who want and need a better tomorrow, it's worth it.

(3) President Bush is doing a good job. But if continuity can not be maintained, all previous efforts will be in vain, or worse, result in global disasters.

Stay the course, respectfully.

[urxlncy]

You ain't seen how these wars will backlash on the country and the rest of the world. President may love the country and it's people. But 9/11 has been over for five years now. There is also mention about the people getting rich in the comments actually. So, what is that the President up to!!?? A "Comment" about him or his country he doesn't like, will cause a war in the next few days!? If you want to be safe secure the border first. Flow money into airline safety, intelligence and Sophisticated GPS technology, sensors etc etc. Iraq war is costing billions and we will pay costs like this as long as he is President. Our taxes are supposed to help us, because we are paying our hard earned money. I don't trust his unemployement stats or economy growth stats. I don't really see any improvement to where I am atleast. Do you?

[leemiller38]

Sorry, I just noticed and error in my posting- the date should have been August 2002.

[leemiller38]

I don't know why Bush gets high marks on terrorism. When briefed by the CIA that Al Queda was going to attack the United States in August 2003, Bush remained on a long vacation, cutting brush when he should have demanded all government and law enforcement agencies to get on the ball and look for dots and connections. Instead he said to the briefers, "OK you have covered your *****". Is this the kind of leadership that merits even 1% approval ratings?

[joe_x-2009]

Bush loves to say the slogan: "Stay the course" but THAT is the problem it is just a SLOGAN. What we have desperately needed the past 5.5 years is a STRATEGY, not a slogan. However, having a workable strategy entails having COMPETENT people around you and holding those who are INCOMPETENT responsible for their actions. With folks like Donald Rumsfeld still comfortably ensconced in their positions....not gonna happen, wouldn't be prudent, oh wait that's Bush the 1st.

[clestes-2009]

I do not understand how ANYONE can think Bush is doing anything to fight terrorism. In fact, he is increasing our chances of a terrorist strike by his boneheaded foreign policies, which are based on some phantom world he lives in and not on the real world the rest of us lives in. Our constant presence in the Middle East and our mucking around with their govnerments is what brought on 9/11.

I hear Bush was surprised that the Iraqi people don't welcome the US soldiers as their "saviors" and in fact seem to resent our presence in their country. Why should they welcome us when we have

1. destroyed the country's infrastructure
2. 300 a day of the population is killed on average
3. Approved sanctions whereby 100,000 of their children died of starvation or measles
4. Overthrew a democraticly elected prime minister and install a brutal dicator who was willing to sell oil cheap and robbed the country of its profits
5. Encourage the ****** to rebel against Saddam in the gulf war, then refused to send troops to help them out. 10 of thousands ****** people died when Saddam replied in force to the rebellion
6. Defile their holy temples
7. Insult their women
8. Go on mad rampages that result in rape and murder.

Wake up Bush and read your history books! They will never welcome us! And we will continue to be a terrorist target as long as we keep "staying the course".