The latest New York Times/CBS News poll shows President Bush’s approval rating at 40%. That would be bad news—except that Bush’s approval rating was 35% in the same poll just one month ago.
Bush’s rise is probably attributable to lower gas prices, lower unemployment, robust economic growth, and a better effort by the administration to explain U.S. strategy in Iraq and the progress that has been made there.
Still, thanks to the Democratic drumbeat of misinformation and an echoing establishment media, 52% of Americans continue to believe the administration “intentionally misled” the country when it made the case for war. At this point in his second term, President Reagan had a 68% approval rating.
