Like Father, Like Son

[77ncaachamps]

Disfavor for Bush hits rare heights
In modern era, only Nixon scored worse, and only Truman was down so long

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19947950/

The latest Washington Post-ABC News survey shows that 65 percent of Americans disapprove of Bush's job performance, matching his all-time low. In polls conducted by The Post or Gallup going back to 1938, only once has a president exceeded that level of public animosity -- and that was Richard M. Nixon, who hit 66 percent four days before he resigned.

Carter and Reagan at their worst moments did not face a public as hostile as the one confronting Bush. Lyndon B. Johnson at the height of Vietnam had the disapproval of 52 percent of the public. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Gerald R. Ford never had disapproval ratings reach 50 percent.

Nixon remains the most unpopular modern president, though barely. His disapproval rating reached 66 percent on Aug. 5, 1974, four days before he resigned amid Watergate. Harry S. Truman reached Bush's current disapproval rating of 65 percent in February 1952 amid the unpopular Korean War. George H.W. Bush came close before losing his bid for reelection in 1992, with 64 percent disapproval.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Fortunately the Presidency isn't about being popular....Abe Lincoln and Harry Truman know what I mean.

And if Jimmy Carter were the President in a 24 hour news cycle with the internet and everything else, I doubt he would be above 10%.

[tonyreeder]

and unfortunately W isn't Abe Lincoln or Harry Truman

[ChicosBailBonds]

and unfortunately W isn't Abe Lincoln or Harry Truman

Yup, you're right on that one.  In fact, I'd argue we haven't seen anyone in that mold sans Reagan in a long time.


Then again, no one thought much of Truman or Lincoln until years or decades after they were gone.  So who knows.  Hell, there are people today that think Carter was a great president, so time can do miraculous things to people's memories.

[77ncaachamps]

And maybe that's the reason why the Presidency has that allure sans the challenges: knowing you call the shots but doing so with some trepidation that news is 24/7.

And that's why Bush is floundering: he lacks the loquaciousness of past presidents. Or in his vernacular: "He ain't a convincing speaker."

[Murffieus]

Truman was below a 25% approval rating (I believe it was 22%)------and now historians say he was one of our greatest presidents----go figure!

Like Harry Truman-----GWB has had to make some tough and potentially unpopular decisions!

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2003-12-26-approval-ratings_x.htm

[ChicosBailBonds]

And maybe that's the reason why the Presidency has that allure sans the challenges: knowing you call the shots but doing so with some trepidation that news is 24/7.

And that's why Bush is floundering: he lacks the loquaciousness of past presidents. Or in his vernacular: "He ain't a convincing speaker."

History will ultimately judge in 10, 20, 50, 100 years from now (I have no idea what that judgement will be).  He is not a great speaker, no question....then again there are plenty of great speakers who are embodiment of the lowest of the lows in society.

Winston Churchill was a great speaker and he got thrown out right after the war....people don't like war, it's the nature of the beast.  FDR trailed in the polls in one of his re-election bids...part of it is leader fatigue, etc.  Just the nature of politics.