Weak Ratings Confront Bush Ahead of State of the Union
A weakened George W. Bush faces the nation in his 5th State of the Union address, beset by war fatigue, persistent discontent on the economy and other domestic issues, ethics concerns and rising interest in Democratic alternatives in this midterm election year.
Bush's bottom-line job rating - 42 percent of Americans approve of his work, 56 percent disapprove - is the worst for a president entering his sixth year in office since Watergate hammered Richard Nixon. And Bush's is not a single-issue problem: More than half disapprove of his work in eight out of nine areas tested in this ABC News/Washington Post poll, from Iraq to immigration to health care.
Start of Sixth-Year Approval Ratings ABC News/Washington Post and Gallup polls
Bush 42% Clinton 60% Reagan 65% Nixon 26% Eisenhower 58% Truman 45%
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