Poll: Bush Getting Even More Unpopular Out Of Office

A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that former President Bush's popularity has dropped since he left office.

When he left office in January, 31 percent of American's viewed him positively. That number has now dropped to 26 percent.

President Barack Obama, meanwhile, is more popular than the past two presidents at this point during their first terms.

According to the poll, 61 percent approve of Obama's job -- that's compared with George W. Bush's 56 percent and Bill Clinton's 52 percent at this same juncture in their presidencies.

Also, 64 percent view Obama favorably versus 23 percent who see him in a negative light -- once again, higher than Bush's and Clinton's scores on this question.

Additionally, 64 percent of Americans also "feel more hopeful about the direction of the country with Obama in office," and a full 59 percent feel he has accomplished a "great deal" or a "fair amount."

Read the full poll here.

Comments

[wedgie]

Bush deserves no sympathy. His ongoing level of blind arrogant ignorance is unbelievable.

[HST]

a wise man once said there are lies, damn lies and statistics­...

[TIRM]

All of those polls are within the typical +/- 3 point margin of error.

Bush - Jan (28,31,34)
Bush - Apr (23,26,29) Not Statistically Different.

Bush - 100 (53,56,59)
Obama - 100 (58,61,64) Not Statistically Different

Correct Headline should be. Bush's approval ratings have not significantly changed since he left office. Bush and Obama are statistically tied in their approval ratings after 100 days. Don't you just love math!

[woundedduck]

TIRM, seriously, this isn't about the first 100 days, it's about Bush--a lousy, stinking, pustulating president--becoming even more hated.

[Unhinged101]

Apparently, you need help with averages.

[bassopotamus]

It is worth noting margins of error, and I think too much is made out the first 100 days numbers (even if they were statistically significant, it's debateable if they were substantively significant. With repeated measures, however, MOE is somewhat less relevant. Essentially if all the polls are showing the same trend, you can have greater confidence the trend is there. MOE is about random sampling error, and I'm not seeing the random there. For example, if we had 3 polls comparing bush and Obama, and there is not truly a difference, we'd expect to see at least one where bush is up too. Also, the whole concept is based on the Normal distribution, so the probability of larger errors is smaller. It is basically a way of representing a 95% confidence interval. 5 points would be within a 90% confidence interval.

I agreee, probably too much is being made of the whole thing, but I am fairly confident there is a mild trend there.

[Cybesq]

Hey genius, since the poll numbers you quote in the first instance also have a typical +/-3 margin of error, there is a statistical difference.

If you love math so much, you should learn it.

[HST]

The Bushlickers heads explode in 5..4..3..2­..1...

[londubh]

At least he's not as unpopular as Dick Cheney. I can almost imagine being sympathetic to Bush. I have about as much sympathy for Cheney as I do a rock.

[Mangler]

I don't know who this man is.

[LooktotheLeft]

I know who is and I don't like what I know

[LooktotheLeft]

There's only one thing left to do: pull a Nicolai Ceausescu on him. For all of you who may not be quite up on your history, link provided below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolae_Ceau%C5%9Fescu

Of course, we need to gather outside of his TX residence on Dec. 25th if we want to pull this off. And one last thing, we can leave Laura out of this because she seems, frankly, to have been too s*tupid to have been much of a willing accomplish.

Anyhow, I'll see all of you this Dec. 25th outside W's gated community. Bring a battering ram...and make sure you come in the thousands.

[Danind]

I guess we're letting history decide whether or not his policy decisions were the best course of action for the country.

[LooktotheLeft]

When George is six ft under his popularity will soar to new proportions.

[RobertHenryEller]

Nor for me. That will mean he escapes justice.

Call me retributive, but I want Mr. Bush to live a long, long time.

I want his brain working full time for decades trying to remain convinced that he did a heckofajob!

[AddyGmom]

Me, too!! I want him to live long and realize how despicable a human he really is. But I especially want him to know that no one , except his butties, thinks he's cute, funny or relevant.

[LooktotheLeft]

What, are you like following me around in contentious disagreement? Give it a rest

[Gatorray11]

What for? Nine eleven happening on his WATCH? Lying us into a war which killed more than 4,000 American military men and women? Running the country's economy into the ground? Having the most corrupt administration in history?

[QuasiEgalitarian]

Don't forget the 100,000 Iraqi men women and children who were also killed. They are human beings also. All the innocent children who have died because of war is SICK!

[crablover]

Hey George -- how's the fundraising for your presidential library going?

[LooktotheLeft]

A good long dirt nap may improve his popularity. It would certainly improve his standing in my humble eyes.

[christopherflynn]

i hope you mean 6 feet under.....

[LooktotheLeft]

...what do you think a dirt nap is??

[shanester]

No wonder the GOP never want to mention his name. It's as if he never existed

[LooktotheLeft]

I'm sure his dad wishes that from time to time (that he never existed). W's not exactly been good for the family name. Ol' Prescott Bush is a-rollin in his grave

[RobertHenryEller]

You need to read up on the Bush family history. George is not exactly the one rotten apple in the barrel.

May I suggest, "American Dynasty," by Kevin Phillips?

http://www.amazon.com/American-Dynasty-Aristocracy-Fortune-Politics/dp/0143034316/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241117922&sr=1-2

You may find yourself wishing that the Bush daughters remain childless.

[OneTop]

George .... you need a hug.

[LooktotheLeft]

...a bear hug...from a real bear

[spbm]

hm numbers

[thnk4selfagain]

Bush is to legacy what asset is to toxic.

[RobertHenryEller]

I think you meant "what toxic is to asset."

[newshawk14]

Although I thing Bush handled the transition well, and has been a far better ex than Cheney, I
think most Americans are aware of what a steaming pile that he left president Obama with.