Issue Watch
Track global public opinion on current issues.
- 2008: Race for the White House
- 2008: The U.S. Electoral College
- Abortion
- Africa
- Angela Merkel
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- George W. Bush
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- New Zealand Election 2008
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- U.S. Election 2008 - The Democrats
- U.S. Election 2008 - The Republicans
- U.S. Election 2008: The Primaries
- Vladimir Putin
- Yasuo Fukuda
Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Bush Reaches 40% in Two Approval Surveys
- Support for George W. Bush in the United States remains stagnant, according to five recent public opinion polls. In surveys by Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times, and TNS for the Washington Post and ABC News, 40 per cent of respondents approve of the president's performance.
A study by Opinion Dynamics released by Fox News places Bush's approval rating at 36 per cent. The two lowest numbers are 35 per cent in a poll by Scripps Howard News Service released by Ohio University, and 33 per cent in a survey by Ipsos-Public Affairs released by the Associated Press.
Bush—a Republican—earned a second four-year term in the November 2004 presidential election. On Aug. 10, Bush discussed the terrorist threat uncovered by British authorities, saying, "The recent arrests that our fellow citizens are now learning about are a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom, to hurt our nation."
American voters will renew the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate on Nov. 7.
Polling Data
a) Do you approve or disapprove of how George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
Aug. 1 | Jun. 27 | Apr. 11 | Mar. 1 | |
Approve | 40% | 41% | 39% | 38% |
Disapprove | 58% | 56% | 57% | 58% |
Source: Bloomberg / Los Angeles Times
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,478 American adults, conducted from Jul. 28 to Aug. 1, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
b) Do you approve or disapprove of George W. Bush's performance as president?
Aug. 6 | Jun. 25 | May 15 | Apr. 9 | |
Approve | 40% | 38% | 33% | 38% |
Disapprove | 58% | 60% | 65% | 60% |
Source: TNS / Washington Post / ABC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 American adults, conducted from Aug. 3 to Aug. 6, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
c) Do you approve or disapprove of how George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
Aug. 9 | Jul. 12 | Jun. 28 | Jun. 14 | |
Approve | 36% | 36% | 41% | 40% |
Disapprove | 56% | 53% | 50% | 52% |
Source: Opinion Dynamics / Fox News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 900 registered American voters, conducted on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
d) Do you approve or disapprove of George W. Bush's performance as president?
Jul. 2006 | Mar. 2006 | Oct. 2005 | |
Approve | 35% | 37% | 38% |
Disapprove | 59% | 56% | 57% |
Source: Scripps Howard News Service / Ohio University
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,010 American adults, conducted from Jul. 6 to Jul. 24, 2006. Margin of error is 4 per cent.
e) Overall, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
Aug. 2006 | Jul. 2006 | Jun. 2006 | |
Approve | 33% | 36% | 35% |
Disapprove | 64% | 63% | 63% |
Mixed feelings | 2% | 1% | 2% |
Source: Ipsos-Public Affairs / Associated Press
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,001 American adults, conducted from Aug. 7 to Aug. 9, 2006. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.