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President Bush Still Below 40% in U.S.
- Public backing for George W. Bush did not shift significantly in the United States, according to a review of four recent public opinion polls. 39 per cent of respondents to a survey by Hart/McInturff for the Wall Street Journal and NBC News approve of the American president's performance.
Bush's approval rating reaches 37 per cent in studies by Princeton Survey Research Associates for Newsweek, and Opinion Research Corporation for CNN, and 34 per cent in a poll by the New York Times and CBS News. In two of the four surveys, the president's rating improved slightly.
Bush—a Republican—earned a second four-year term in the November 2004 presidential election. Yesterday in his weekly radio address, Bush discussed the upcoming congressional ballot, saying, "The choice you make on Tuesday will have a direct impact on our economy, on the small businesses that are creating jobs, and on the workers who depend on them. The last thing American families and small businesses need now is a higher tax bill, and that is what you'll get if the Democrats take control of the Congress."
American voters will renew the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate on Nov. 7.
Polling Data
a) In general, do you approve or disapprove of the job that George W. Bush is doing as president?
Oct. 30 | Oct. 16 | Oct. 2 | Sept. 2006 | |
Approve | 39% | 38% | 39% | 42% |
Disapprove | 57% | 57% | 56% | 53% |
Source: Hart/McInturff / The Wall Street Journal / NBC News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,010 registered American voters, conducted from Oct. 28 to Oct. 30, 2006. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
b) Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
Oct. 27 | Oct. 20 | Oct. 6 | |
Approve | 37% | 35% | 33% |
Disapprove | 53% | 57% | 59% |
Source: Princeton Survey Research Associates / Newsweek
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,002 American adults, conducted on Oct. 26 and Oct. 27, 2006. Margin of error is 4 per cent.
c) Do you approve or disapprove of George W. Bush's performance as president?
Oct. 29 | Oct. 22 | Oct. 2 | Sept. 2 | |
Approve | 37% | 39% | 39% | 41% |
Disapprove | 58% | 58% | 59% | 55% |
Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 873 registered American voters, conducted from Oct. 27 to Oct. 29, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
d) Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?
Oct. 31 | Oct. 8 | Sept. 19 | Aug. 21 | |
Approve | 34% | 34% | 37% | 36% |
Disapprove | 58% | 60% | 56% | 57% |
Source: The New York Times / CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,084 American adults, conducted from Oct. 27 to Oct. 31, 2006. Margin of error is 4 per cent.