Fun With Headlines II
"Bush nears record low as approval rating falls to 34 percent" - Contra Costa Times.

Bush's approval rating is apparently the lowest in the history of presidential approval ratings. Or there abouts. Here's a quote from the article:

Bush's approval rating is far below those registered by three of the past four two-term presidents in February of their sixth year: Dwight Eisenhower (64 percent), Ronald Reagan (63.5 percent) and Bill Clinton (57 percent). Only Nixon, at 27.5 percent in February 1974 -- six months before he resigned -- was less popular than Bush is now.

February of their sixth year, huh? First of all, let's straighten a few things out. The RCP moving averages for approval polls indicate that Bush's approval rating is really 40.4%. Not that this is great, but it is not all that bad for a president's second term. Now why would this particular reporter focus on February? Because Nixon resigned a couple of months later and it represents the lowest point of his approval ratings? Bush's approval rating is similar to the ratings of several second-term presidents. Don't believe me? Check out this website--something the reporter who filed this story didn't bother to do.
- posted by Base10 @ 10:57 AM