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January 23rd, 2007 by Glenden Brown Glenden BrownGlenden Brown

George Meet Dick

Hat tip to atrios. 

According to a CBS poll out yesterday, George W. Bush has a 28% approval rating.  Historically the only president to get into that range is (drum roll please) . . .

Richard M. Nixon. 

Nixon was at 24% when he resigned.

For historical comparison:

His job approval is also far below those of other modern two-term presidents at this point in their second terms.

In January 1999, for example, just after his impeachment by the House of Representatives, President Bill Clinton’s job approval rating was 65 percent. In January 1987, President Ronald Reagan’s was 52 percent. In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson received a 47 percent approval rating, even as debate about the Vietnam War raged.

This quote from msnbc sums up the situation:

“The public really says, ‘I just think it’s over,’” Hart says of Bush’s presidency. “If we had a British parliamentary system, there would be a call for a vote of no confidence. Essentially what the poll is, is a vote of no confidence.”

I’m not sure what Bush and his handlers think he can say to sway the nation but given the track record I’m not optimistic.  I expect the SOTU will be geared toward the wingnuts - a shrill dog whistle speech to rally the base.  I expect the usual punditocracy fellating of the Chimperor afterwards (I find it sad that most pundits still can’t wrap their heads around the fact that Bush is wildly unpopular).  I also expect some serious sabre-rattling about Iran and/or Syria in the SOTU.

I think Bush wants to force a Constitutional crisis.  I think Congress is trying to play the 1850s game - buy breathing room and put off the crisis as long as possible.  It could get ugly.

This entry was posted Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007 at 10:30 am and is filed under Democracy, George W. Bush, National Politics, The Constitution. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses to “George Meet Dick”

  1. cavaet Says:
    January 23rd, 2007 at 11:36 am

    I may sound silly, but I’ holding out hope for George to be reborn as a sensible individual. Of course, I’m basing this on the flimsiest of evidence. My kids are quite sure that the heard the President say, during a speech, the word ‘nuclear’. So we know now that he’s capable of learnin’. Bless his little heart.

    I’m runnin’ with it, however, no drinking games tonite. George don’t let me down.

    I’m also very interested in hearing Webb speak afterwords.

  2. Richard Warnick Says:
    January 23rd, 2007 at 12:31 pm

    The Bush administration is a large-scale political science experiment. The goal is to quantify exactly what percentage of the American public fits Lincoln’s dictum that you can deceive some of the people all the time.