or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
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"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
May 08, 2006
Bush and Nixon In A Photo Finish
So six months ago I graphed Bush and Nixon's approval and disapproval ratings against each other. Then I did it again last week. I wasn't planning to update it for a while—but the newest Gallup poll shows Bush's approval rating dropping from 34 to 31%, and his disapproval rating rising from 63 to 65%.
Bush's disapproval rating now exceeds or equals that of Nixon's in every poll except one— the final poll in July, 1974 just before Nixon left office, when Nixon's disapproval rating was one point higher at 66%.
What's really remarkable about this is it's WITHOUT any congressional investigation of Bush's misdeeds, plus an economy far better (as much as it sucks for many) than in summer 1974. So Bush really has nowhere to go but down. This one is going to make sporting history.
(All polls are Gallup. Thanks to Crayz for the heads up on the latest.)
What's really remarkable about this is it's WITHOUT any congressional investigation of Bush's misdeeds, plus an economy far better (as much as it sucks for many) than in summer 1974. So Bush really has nowhere to go but down. This one is going to make sporting history.
(All polls are Gallup. Thanks to Crayz for the heads up on the latest.)
Posted at May 8, 2006 12:38 PM | TrackBackJon, Thanks! I am getting that done as a tattoo across my back.
Posted by: Elayne at May 8, 2006 12:59 PMI still want to know what you graphed this in.
Posted by: saurabh at May 8, 2006 01:10 PMElayne,
I like it so much I may have to get it tatooed on my face.
saurabh,
That's for me to know and you to find out.
By which I mean, it's for you to find out right now: Excel.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at May 8, 2006 01:28 PMJon: You're right, of course. I was thinking of getting it done across the face initially, but decided to do the whole "birdshot" thing there instead.
Posted by: Elayne at May 8, 2006 03:26 PMI suspect that this, unfortunately, has a lot to do with the gas prices and little with everything else. I hope I'm wrong.
Posted by: abb1 at May 8, 2006 03:47 PMWell, plus he's being hit for maintaining a quite rational position on illegal immigration, saying that 10 million illegal immigrants can't just be expelled. But this is well deserved, of course, since his supporters ain't rational in the first place... Need to be consistent; start swinging from irration to rational and you'll lose all of them. Just like his father with his tax hike.
Posted by: abb1 at May 8, 2006 03:56 PMBig difference: Nixon was such fun to kick around. He was evil, but didn't mind that the Clean Water Act went through. Evil, filled with resentment, but not stupid.
W is stupid, ignorant, evil in the banal sort of way. No fun at all. Very much like his mother.
Happy birthday, Sigmund.
E-MAIL ME THIS POST.
THANK YOU.
Posted by: WILLIAM at May 9, 2006 01:58 AMaww, poor Saurabh. How anti-climactic.
Posted by: Saheli at May 9, 2006 02:02 AMHe really needs another 9/11, another go to war in (insert name of country here-Iran this time?) or another "mission accomplished" to bump those numbers back up to the 90% realm...
I still wish we had a vote of no confidence, even though that sword cuts both ways.
I was immediately struck by how steady the decline has been, and did a quick calculation. It has taken 56 months since 9/11/01 for Bush's approval rating to drop from 90% to 30%. A simple extrapolation shows that Bush's approval will reach negative territory (presumably suggesting that the dead will rise just to express their dislike for Bush) just in time for the 2008 elections.
Posted by: lorax at May 10, 2006 12:37 PMJonathan,
These are great charts. Cam you email me the hi-res versions of them, perhaps in a pdf. Our state Democratic Convention is in a couple of weeks and I'd like to blow them up display them there.
Thank you,
David Bright
Jean Hay Bright for U.S. Senate
