Gallup Poll as of Dec 26, 2008
| Sep 11, 2001 | The attack on the Twin Towers in New York |
| Mar 20, 2003 | The American Invasion of Iraq |
| Dec 13, 2003 | Saddam Hussein captured in Iraq |
Gallup Poll as of Dec 26, 2008
It’s the top line on the bottom graph that holds my attention. It’s hard for me to grasp. I certainly don’t accept that it simply means what it says, that two thirds of Republicans still believe that George W. Bush’s performance as President has been acceptable. That’s too much of a stretch.
One possibility is that Republicans who became disapproving responded to the poll by also changing to Independents. Unfortunately, the Raw Data for Gallup polls isn’t published so I can’t check that hypothesis. Another more likely hypothesis is that the poll is measuring something else. – the fraction of Republicans that are terrified of Democrats being in power. Who might they be? I would guess the Religious Right who are focused only on Abortion and Homosexuality, the people whose lives revolve around the National Rifle Association, and the Business Conservatives and their super-rich clients. What they are likely "approving of" are Bush’s ideological positions rather than his performance in office. Furthermore …
| 2nd Term, Final Month | |
| Bush | 29% |
| Clinton | 63% |
| Reagan | 63% |
| Johnson | 44% |
| Eisenhower | 59% |
| Truman | 32% |
What I haven’t been able to get right along is who in the heck thought Dubya was performing respectably in 2002? 2003? etc etc. It was plainly obvious even when he was photo-oped standing on the pile in lower Manhattan with the fireman at his side that we did not have effective leadership in a crucial role at a most crucial time. Would that we could take it all back and make it all go away.