Without the Consent of the Governed
Bush's new poll numbers

In Dan Froomkin’s column in the WP Online there are several references to Bush’s polling numbers. Perhaps the most startling is the recent poll finding that only 2% of AfricanAmericans support the president. While the poll may turn out to have statistically missed the exact numbers, the decline is undeniable. As a white woman who has studied and taught African American history for over 30 years, I’m not surprised. The images from Katrina (and the false reports of mass criminality in New Orleans) evoke too many painful, collective memories, about which few whites are aware. What was more startling was Georgie’s fall among independents and moderates. Froomkin points out an article by John Kenneth White entitled "A Presidency on Life Support." (http://www.pollingreport.com/whitejk.htm )

The raw poll results breaks out the independent and moderates’ answers, which are encouraging. Below is a bit of it for you perusal.

A look behind the polls explains why. Not only are Bush’s overall approval
ratings low and doubts about his leadership growing, but on a variety of issues
he has been judged seriously deficient. A Zogby International survey gives Bush
poor marks on a host of domestic and foreign concerns. Overall, the ratio of
poor-to-excellent scores ranges from a low of 1:1 (managing the war on terror
and Hurricane Rita) to a high of 8:1 (handling gasoline prices). If this were a
parliamentary system, there would be a vote of no confidence and a new election
held.

I’m wishing more and more each day that I hadn’t taken off my Kerry-Edwards bumper sticker after inauguration. It is reassuring that most Americans are finally realizing the shell games being played by Bush and his big business buddies.