Bush's support in California falling steadily, poll shows

Bush's support in California falling steadily, poll shows

Zachary Coile, Chronicle Washington Bureau Thursday, August 21, 2003


Facing a sputtering economy and ongoing chaos in postwar Iraq, President Bush's support among Californians continues to slip, with less than a majority of voters backing him for a second term, a Field Poll released today reveals.

Fifty percent of the state voters surveyed approve of Bush's job performance -- down slightly from 51 percent support last month, but far below his peak of 76 percent support three months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The slip in Bush's support in the state comes as Democrats and independent voters, many of whom backed the president after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, are now questioning his handling of the conflict in Iraq and his stewardship of the economy.

"A lot of the issues that Bush is being evaluated on now seem to be highly contentious, and the voters are divided along party lines," said Mark DiCamillo, the poll's director. "Right after Sept. 11, we had more of a bipartisan, patriotic, rally-behind-the-president effect, whereas now it's much more partisan and back to politics as usual in evaluating the performance of the president."

The poll released today also found that only 42 percent of California voters were inclined to re-elect Bush, while 50 percent were not. That's a steep drop from just one month ago, when 46 percent of state voters were inclined to give him a second term, and 44 percent were not. (snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/08/21/MN298180.DTL

"The poll released today also found that only 42 percent of California voters were inclined to re-elect Bush, while 50 percent were not. That's a steep drop from just one month ago, when 46 percent of state voters were inclined to give him a second term, and 44 percent were not. (snip/...)

- it ain't STEEP ENOUGH!

Davis is going to do his best to damage Bush and the Republicans for trying to steal the state, let's hope Bush pays for the recall.

I'm surprised. It seems to me you can't fall any further when you're already at the bottom.

when California gets a new Republican governor!!

It's all part of the plan.

that's pretty much my thinking.
it's the repuke strategy -- steal it if you can't get it fair and square.

"A lot of the issues that Bush is being evaluated on now seem to be highly contentious, and the voters are divided along party lines," said Mark DiCamillo, the poll's director. "Right after Sept. 11, we had more of a bipartisan, patriotic, rally-behind-the-president effect, whereas now it's much more partisan and back to politics as usual in evaluating the performance of the president."

Positive Connotation:
bipartisan
patriotic
rally-behind-the-president

Negative Connotation:
partisan
politics as usual

Here's another way to put it:

"Right after Sept. 11, we had more of a fearful, mindless, lemming effect, whereas now it's much more careful consideration of issues and positions in evaluating the performance of the president."

Even the GOP polls, in other words. Mark DiCamillo's an asshole.

the way Hillary did when she won the Senate in NY. She made the names bush/Lazio intercheangeable and it work. I hope Davies does the same. Don't ever allow the illusion that Arnuld is not Rove's boy. Keep pounding it!