A new Gallup Poll shows a slight improvement in President Bush's overall job approval rating:
John McIntyre at RealClear Politics thinks the President's job approval ratings are the most important poll numbers until September. McIntyre predicts that with an approval rating at over 50% Bush wins easy, 45%-49% it's close but Bush has the edge, 40%-44% is a dead heat, and below 40% Kerry has the advantage. That makes sense to me.The current poll also shows that 51% of Americans approve, and 46% disapprove, of the way Bush is handling his job as president. For the last three months, Bush has averaged 48% approval and 49% disapproval. The current figures are a slight improvement for Bush and represent the first time he has been above the symbolically important 50% level since mid-April.
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The slight improvement in Bush's overall job rating could result from slightly more positive assessments of his handling of the terrorism and Iraq issues. While a majority of Americans continue to disapprove of Bush's handling of the situation in Iraq (45% approve, 52% disapprove), this rating has improved slightly from a 42% approval to 56% disapproval rating in a June 21-23 poll.
The Gallup Poll continues to show a slight preference for President Bush among likely voters:
The poll shows Nader polls 3% among likely voters:In a two-way contest with Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, Bush enjoys a slight lead among likely voters, 50% to 47%, little changed from the 51% to 47% lead he enjoyed in a July 30-Aug. 1 poll.
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The changes from the last poll are within the polls' margins of error, suggesting the contest has been essentially steady over the past several weeks. Indeed, the average levels of support for the candidates in the past three polls are identical to the current results.
It's all with the margin of error, but it intrigues me that adding Nader takes more from President Bush.If independent Ralph Nader is included in the ballot, Bush receives 48% among likely voters, Kerry 46%, and Nader 3%.
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