February 27, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for George W. Bush remains low in the United States, according to four recent public opinion polls. In surveys by Gallup released by USA Today and Opinion Dynamics for Fox News, 32 per cent of respondents approve of their president’s performance.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for George W. Bush remains low in the United States, according to four recent public opinion polls. In surveys by Gallup released by USA Today and Opinion Dynamics for Fox News, 32 per cent of respondents approve of their president’s performance.

Bush’s rating stands at 30 per cent in a study by CBS News, and 19 per cent—the lowest of his tenure—in a survey by American Research Group.

Bush—a Republican—earned a second four-year term in the November 2004 presidential election. The U.S. president’s approval rating has not surpassed the 40 per cent mark in a national survey since December 2006. 

On Feb. 25, during a meeting with the National Governors Association, Bush discussed his views on health care, saying, "It’s a tough issue here in Washington. And I do want to spend just a moment to explain to you the philosophy by which we’ll be trying to get legislation passed out of the Congress. One, we share the same goal: accessible and affordable health care. Secondly, whatever we do must not undermine a health care system that is the best in the world. Our doctors are great, our technology is unbelievable, our hospitals are wonderful. And is it perfect? No. But it is the best in the world. Private medicine has worked in America, and the question is, can we strengthen it, rather than weaken it?"

Polling Data

a) Do you approve or disapprove of how George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

	Feb. 21	Feb. 2	Jan. 13	Jan. 6
Approve	32%	34%	34%	32%
Disapprove	62%	61%	60%	64%

Source: Gallup / USA Today
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 2,021 American adults, conducted from Feb. 21 to Feb. 24, 2008. Margin of error is 2 per cent.

b) Do you approve or disapprove of how George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

	Feb. 20	Jan. 31	Dec. 19	Nov. 14
Approve	32%	33%	36%	36%
Disapprove	59%	60%	57%	56%

Source: Opinion Dynamics / Fox News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 900 registered American voters, conducted on Feb. 19 and Feb. 20, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

c) Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

	Feb 24	Feb. 2	Jan. 12	Dec. 9
Approve	30%	27%	29%	28%
Disapprove	64%	65%	62%	65%

Source: CBS News
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,266 American adults, conducted from Feb. 20 to Feb. 24, 2008. 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?

	Feb. 2008	Jan. 2008	Dec. 2007	Nov. 2007
Approve	19%	34%	32%	31%
Disapprove	77%	59%	66%	64%

Source: American Research Group
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,100 American adults, conducted from Feb. 16 to Feb. 19, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.