With only 46 days left, Americans start re-liking George W. Bush

It makes sense if you think about it. But who's investing a lot of thought nowadays in President George W. Bush?

Not many. But the folks over at the Gallup Poll have found historically that American voters tend to start re-liking their outgoing presidents -- even after dumping them -- once the end of their term is in sight.

As The Ticket reported here (with a photo) yesterday, the Bushes have already purchased a home in the Preston Hollow neighborhood of north Dallas.

Bush has set a recent record for unpopularity with a favorability rating of only 24%.

Now, with less than seven weeks to go until Barack Obama's inauguration out of Bush's 416 weeks in office, his popularity has jumped to 28%. Still not that great.

But it'll probably go higher before he stands in the cold in front of the Capitol late on the morning of Jan. 20 and watches someone else take over the burdens of office.

"It is common for presidents who are about to leave the White House to receive a bump in their job approval ratings between election day and Inauguration Day,'' Gallup's Jeffrey Jones writes.

"Of the eight post-World War II presidents who left office after serving two terms, declining to seek an additional term or being defeated for reelection, six saw increased job approval ratings in their final two-plus months in office."

The last three presidents and four of the last five saw significant rises in their ratings, sometimes starting with the very first poll conducted after the election.

When in late October of 1992 Bush's father first realized he was certainly going to lose to Bill Clinton the next month, Bush's approval rating was 34%. Right after the election rejection, his approval jumped to 43% and ended at 56% when he stood in the cold on those same Capitol front steps. Small consolation perhaps, but interesting.

Our good friend Mark Silva has some more historical lame-duck numbers over here in the Swamp.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Comments

[Andre Walker]

The is no media spin in the world that can redeem our (un)illustrious commander in chief. The Bush legacy will be exactly what it is... incompetent, ill advised and just plain dumb. The internet generation will no longer allow those in positions of power to rewrite history while they show there "good" side... sorry G'dub

[psychedelic santa]

Bush will go down in history as the worst president we've ever had. He was incompetent, dishonest and his political agenda seems to have been a deliberate attempt to destroy the country. 28% of the country need to have their heads examined.

[Artemesia]

Bush is down to support from people who think Jesus rode to church on a dinosaur.

[BK]

You've got to be kidding me - a 4% "jump" is within statistical error - it shows little to nothing. Let's give some time to see a real trend before we start declaring that Americans are "re-liking" Bush.

(Actually, an increase from 24 to 28 is a 16.66% increase.)

[judyinnm]

Once he' out of office, I'm sure his approval rating will go to 100% - approval of the fact that he's no longer ruling us....

[Southern Beale]

"his popularity has jumped to 28%."

This is a JOKE, right?

Two-thirds of the country hates the man and the LA Times runs the headline "Americans start re-liking George W. Bush"?

GIve me a freaking break. No wonder people have stopped reading the newspaper.

[daniel thomas macinnes]

Is this a joke?

You can't possibly be serious. Bush has a 28% approval rating, and to you that makes him "popular." The same Preznit Stupid who destroyed our nation's economy, murdered a million civilians in an illegal war, committed torture, spied on American citizens, devestated our environment.....am I getting through to you, Mister Beale?

Have you noticed any of these things? Did you bother to pay attention? Just what exactly were you doing these past eight years? Bush is thoroughly despised in America and throughout the world for a reason. If you can't be bothered to notice that...well, it's little surprise the nation's newspapers are in decline.

[BC]

Oh, for pete's sake, since when does the far right wing of the GOP get mistaken for all Americans? So, 29% like Bush - he doesn't even have all of the Republicans yet. Much less any Dems or Independents. You guys have wanted the polls to validate your own bias to such an extent that you really think 29% is a great popularity rating. A hint - you keep pimping for this guy, you're going to catch his 29% approval!

[Bush is an immoral Monster]

Is this a joke? Bush's minions are still vindictively trashing every environmental and legal regulation they can get their hands on before leaving.

Really, is this early April Fools? Very unserious spin, IMHO.

[Dr Wu, I'm just and ordinary guy]

LOSER! no matter what percentage of the rich and dim-witted still approve of this man.

[Steve Biodrowski]

Going from 24% approval to 28% approval is not "liking Bush more." It is "hating Bush less."

Using this tiny blip as an excuse for a headling implying that Americans now like Bush is laughable.

[J.H. Peters]

Wow--a "jump" from 24% popularity to 28% popularity means that Americans are "re-liking" Bush again? That's your argument? Really?

Uh, ok . . . if you say so.

And their buying a house in Dallas somehow advances this "thesis" because . . . ? What, the neighbors haven't rioted about it yet? The whole block hasn't moved?

The only thing the house purchase proves is what an utter farce the ridiculous "Crawford ranch" was--nothing but a campaign prop. Noel Coward was as much a swashbuckling rancher-cowboy as Bush ever was.

[Patrick]

I'm really starting to like W more now that he's getting rid of his pretend ranch in Crawford. I also like the fact that he's ramming through all these last minute regulations that allow extraction industries to pollute our streams and rivers. That's just awesome. Love ya George!

[ron]

for what its worth i still cant stand the guy and so do 72% of americans, probably most of which think hes the worst president EVER. 28% means americans are re-liking him? you're as dumb as bush.

[Chuck]

Seriously? Americans are starting to re-like Bush? You're joking, right? You might want to ponder if the rapidly worsening economy - experiencing the greatest collapse since the great depression while Bush does nothing - just might dampen the public's enthusiasm for Bush. And give a thought or too about how the 530,000 new jobless feel about Bush. I doubt that they (and their friends and relatives) a starting to re-like Bush.

28% of the country appears to like somone who can screw up all facets of government without breaking a sweat (so long as he is a Republican). I think Cheney once characterized such people as dead-enders. I would not expect that number to grow.

[miasma]

The only thing we like about him is that he's going away.

[geoff]

American's start re-liking George W. Bush? A mere 72% of American's feel that Mr. Bush has only driven this great country of ours into the ground, without any regrets or compassion towards the horrible decisions he so recklessly perpetuated. Nothing the media can say or do will ever change the fact that President Bush never believed in the common good for this country; instead, he sought to fill the pockets of he and his administration with large amounts of money and govern the country in a way that when history looks back and ultimately dissects and examines the decisions that were made, along with the lies he so consistently uttered and repeated with a straight face, without any push-back or dissent from the media, many will wonder in total astonishment how he and his administration managed to get away with all of this. Pretty amazing.

[brentbent]

24% to 28% is mostly statistical noise not to mention at 24% there wasn't much room to drop seeing how about a quarter of the electorate will mindlessly support all Republicans unless they molest children--Vitter is proof of that. I also think the endless stories of Bush's last minute deregulations--furthering the cause of mountaintop removal mining, listing the neurotoxin perchlorate as not needing regulation, etc.--will dampen the historical approval rating rise as will the worsening economy. Plus, after the countless tragedies, screw-ups, and downright disgusting acts of this administration Bush is still claiming he cannot think of one thing he did wrong during his reign. I don't think that plays too well either as even people in the above 24% crowd will admit he's made some mistakes. If he can't admit Katrina was his disaster he's living in delusionland.

[hiscross]

President Bush may not have full filled the wishes of many, but he did keep bad people at bay. For those Bush haters (and there plenty) I am happy I don't have their problems.

[Luther Brixton]

This is a joke, right? The reason Bush's popularity is at 28% is because he is hated by the American people.

[Robert]

His rating has bumped by 4% to 28% and that is described as, "Americans start re-liking George W. Bush" You must be kidding.
Now if Bush was exiled to Elba rather then Dallas I'm sure it would spike but it is ludicrous to suggest that the man is ever going to be "popular."
Popular like the plague.

[snipe]

Ahh, here we see the haters come out. Nice.

[jblog]

I suspect some of this is because they BDS sufferers have created an atmosphere that's so hysterical and toxic they are now concerned that Obama will now be treated to the same type of psychotic outrage.

So they're trying to hit the reset button.

No mulligans for the new president -- the first time he shanks even a minor one, the howling and shrieking will commence and continue unceasingly.

Sauce. Goose. Gander.

[DK]

Probably because he isn't doing anything now, much less anything stupid.

[Dick Diamond]

I like him even less than before. The deeper we get into this recession, the angrier I get. Ownership society? What ownership society? The Chinese own us. The banks own Treasury. What do we average Americans own? Bubkus.
I never thought this country could ALMOST be brought to its knees in less than eight years. Well, King George 41 did it.
He won't even own up to any mistakes. Not very adult at all. Compassionate conservatism. Well, not very conservative, more like a fascist and certainly not very compassionate. This stooge for the likes of Dick Cheney and all the draft dodgers of Vietnam ruined this country throughout the world and he and buddy Alan ruined us at home.
Buchanan, Grant, Harding and Hoover were inept. Nixon was an anti-Semite and a racist paranoid. But at least Nixon was smart, Ikept America in the lead, recognized China and brought some decent environmental laws to America. George Bush brought us a war in Iraq, terrorism worse than ever, a horrible recession bordering on depression, and oh yes, "You're doing a heck of a job Brownie," and "Gonzo" for an A.G.
Like him? I despise him for what he has done to this great country. However, when he dies, I'd love to nominate him for the Darwin Awards.