Poll: Bush Approval Rating Improves

A new Gallup poll shows that President Bush's approval rating has increased slightly, reaching 40 percent for the first time since the beginning of February. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed July 6-9 disapprove of his performance.

Mr. Bush's approval ratings began to go down in the middle of February of this year, spiraling down to the lowest point of his presidency in early May at 31 percent.

The poll also reveals that while 78 percent of Republicans approve of the job that Mr. Bush is doing, only 10 percent of Democrats do. These figures represent improvement, however, from those of early May. Then, the president's average support among members of his own party was 68 percent. Among Democrats, four percent supported his job performance.

Last week, Mr. Bush told Larry King that he does not follow polls, nor does he allow them to dictate his decision-making.

"It's easy to lose resolve if you made decisions based upon polls," Mr. Bush said. "If you make decisions based upon what you believe in your heart of hearts, you stay resolved."