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Bush 35% Approval Average in Most Recent Quarter Lowest to Date

Bush 35% Approval Average in Most Recent Quarter Lowest to Date

Lowest quarterly average of his presidency

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- George W. Bush's presidency reaches a milestone of sorts on Thursday as he completes his 25th quarter in office. But his 25th quarter is not one on which he will look back fondly, given that he averaged only a 35% job approval rating, the lowest quarterly average of his presidency to date. His previous low was the 36% he averaged in the quarter spanning April - July 2006. Those are both far cries from the quarterly averages in excess of 70% he received from late 2001 through early 2002.

During the most recent quarter, which began on Jan. 20 and concludes April 19, Bush's approval rating ranged between 32% and 38%. It is 36% in the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, conducted this past weekend. Bush's lowest single approval rating during his presidency is 31% from a May 5-7, 2006 poll taken during his 22nd quarter in office.

Bush has now gone seven months since he last had an approval rating above 40% in any Gallup Poll. He has averaged below 40% in each of his last five quarters in office, and has averaged below 50% in each of the last eight quarters. In his second term in office, which began in January 2005, he has had just one quarterly average above 50% -- a 50.4% reading in the initial quarter of his second term. He is averaging 40.8% so far in his second term, after averaging 62.2% his first.

Bush in Historical Perspective

Gallup has computed quarterly averages for 246 presidential quarters since 1945. Bush's most recent quarter ranks near the bottom, placing 228 out of 246, putting it in the 7th percentile.

Only four other presidents besides Bush have served 25 quarters or more since Gallup began tracking approval ratings in 1945. Not surprisingly, Bush's 25th quarter average does not compare favorably to the other presidents' at the similar points in their presidencies.

Quarterly Average Approval Ratings for Presidents in 25th Quarter

President

Dates

Average

Number of readings

 

 

%

 

Truman

Apr 20-Jul 19, 1951

26.0

3

Eisenhower

Jan 20-Apr 19, 1959

59.7

3

Reagan

Jan 20-Apr 19, 1987

46.0

3

Clinton

Jan 20-Apr 19, 1999

64.6

11

George W. Bush

Jan 20-Apr 19, 2007

35.0

7

Two of these presidents -- Dwight Eisenhower and Bill Clinton -- were quite popular at the time, with approval ratings in the 60% range. Ronald Reagan averaged 46% approval during his 25th quarter as the Iran-Contra scandal dogged his administration. Bush's quarter may be most similar to that of Harry Truman, who also received low approval ratings in his second term as the United States was engaged in a protracted war in Korea. Truman averaged only 26% approval during his 25th quarter in office -- he made the unpopular move of firing Gen. Douglas MacArthur as the commander of U.S. forces in the Korean War just before the quarter began.

Survey Methods

These results are based on telephone interviews with randomly selected national samples, each of approximately 1,000 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted between Jan. 20 and April 19, 2007. For results based on any one sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±3 percentage points. The margin of error for the quarterly average is approximately ±1 percentage point. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

Approve

Disapprove

No opinion

%

%

%

2007

 

 

 

2007 Apr 13-15

36

60

4

2007 Apr 2-5

38

58

4

2007 Mar 23-25

34

62

4

2007 Mar 11-14

35

61

4

2007 Mar 2-4

33

63

4

2007 Feb 9-11

37

59

3

2007 Feb 1-4

32

65

4

2007 Jan 15-18

36

61

3

2007 Jan 12-14

34

63

4

2007 Jan 5-7

37

59

4

2006

 

 

 

2006 Dec 11-14

35

61

4

2006 Dec 8-10

38

59

4

2006 Nov 9-12

33

62

4

2006 Nov 2-5

38

56

6

2006 Oct 20-22

37

58

4

2006 Oct 9-12

37

57

6

2006 Oct 6-8

37

59

4

2006 Sep 15-17

44

51

5

2006 Sep 7-10

39

56

5

2006 Aug 18-20

42

54

4

2006 Aug 7-10

37

59

4

2006 Jul 28-30

40

56

4

2006 Jul 21-23

37

59

4

2006 Jul 6-9

40

55

5

2006 Jun 23-25

37

60

3

2006 Jun 9-11

38

56

6

2006 Jun 1-4

36

57

6

2006 May 8-11

33

61

6

2006 May 5-7

31

65

5

2006 Apr 28-30

34

63

3

2006 Apr 10-13

36

59

5

2006 Apr 7-9

37

60

3

2006 Mar 13-16

37

59

5

2006 Mar 10-12

36

60

4

2006 Feb 28-Mar 1

38

60

2

2006 Feb 9-12

39

56

4

2006 Feb 6-9

42

55

4

2006 Jan 20-22

43

54

4

2006 Jan 9-12

43

53

4

2006 Jan 6-8

43

54

3

2005

 

 

 

2005 Dec 19-22

43

53

4

2005 Dec 16-18

41

56

3

2005 Dec 9-11

42

55

3

2005 Dec 5-8

43

52

5

2005 Nov 17-20

38

57

5

2005 Nov 11-13

37

60

3

2005 Nov 7-10

40

55

5

2005 Oct 28-30

41

56

3

2005 Oct 24-26

41

56

3

2005 Oct 21-23

42

55

3

2005 Oct 13-16

39

58

3

2005 Sep 26-28

45

50

5

2005 Sep 16-18

40

58

2

2005 Sep 12-15

45

52

3

2005 Sep 8-11

46

51

3

2005 Aug 28-30

45

52

3

2005 Aug 22-25

40

56

4

2005 Aug 8-11

45

51

4

2005 Aug 5-7

45

51

4

2005 Jul 25-28

44

51

5

2005 Jul 22-24

49

48

3

2005 Jul 7-10

49

48

3

2005 Jun 29-30

46

51

3

2005 Jun 24-26

45

53

2

2005 Jun 16-19

47

51

2

2005 Jun 6-8

47

49

4

2005 May 23-26

48

47

5

2005 May 20-22

46

50

4

2005 May 2-5

50

45

5

2005 Apr 29-May 1

48

49

3

2005 Apr 18-21

48

49

3

2005 Apr 4-7

50

45

5

2005 Apr 1-2

48

48

4

2005 Mar 21-23

45

49

6

2005 Mar 18-20

52

44

4

2005 Mar 7-10

52

44

4

2005 Feb 25-26

52

45

3

2005 Feb 21-24

51

45

4

2005 Feb 7-10

49

48

3

2005 Feb 4-6

57

40

3

2005 Jan 14-16

51

46

3

2005 Jan 7-9

52

44

4

2005 Jan 3-5

52

44

4

2004

 

 

 

2004 Dec 17-19

49

46

5

2004 Dec 5-8

53

44

3

2004 Nov 19-21

55

42

3

2004 Nov 7-10

53

44

3

2004 Oct 29-31

48

47

5

2004 Oct 22-24

51

46

3

2004 Oct 14-16

51

47

2

2004 Oct 11-14

48

49

3

2004 Oct 9-10

47

49

4

2004 Oct 1-3

50

48

2

2004 Sep 24-26

54

44

2

2004 Sep 13-15

52

45

3

2004 Sep 3-5

52

46

2

2004 Aug 23-25

49

47

4

2004 Aug 9-11

51

46

3

2004 Jul 30-Aug 1

48

49

3

2004 Jul 19-21

49

47

4

2004 Jul 8-11

47

49

4

2004 Jun 21-23

48

49

3

2004 Jun 3-6

49

49

2

2004 May 21-23

47

49

4

2004 May 7-9

46

51

3

2004 May 2-4

49

48

3

2004 Apr 16-18

52

45

3

2004 Apr 5-8

52

45

3

2004 Mar 26-28

53

44

3

2004 Mar 8-11

50

47

3

2004 Mar 5-7

49

48

3

2004 Feb 16-17

51

46

3

2004 Feb 9-12

51

46

3

2004 Feb 6-8

52

44

4

2004 Jan 29-Feb 1

49

48

3

2004 Jan 12-15

53

44

3

2004 Jan 9-11

59

38

3

2004 Jan 2-5

60

35

5

2003

 

 

 

2003 Dec 15-16

63

34

3

2003 Dec 11-14

56

41

3

2003 Dec 5-7

55

43

2

2003 Nov 14-16

50

47

3

2003 Nov 10-12

51

45

4

2003 Nov 3-5

54

43

3

2003 Oct 24-26

53

42

5

2003 Oct 10-12

56

40

4

2003 Oct 6-8

55

42

3

2003 Sep 19-21

50

47

3

2003 Sep 8-10

52

43

5

2003 Aug 25-26

59

37

4

2003 Aug 4-6

60

36

4

2003 Jul 25-27

58

38

4

2003 Jul 18-20

59

38

3

2003 Jul 7-9

62

34

4

2003 Jun 27-29

61

36

3

2003 Jun 12-15

63

33

4

2003 Jun 9-10

62

34

4

2003 May 30-Jun 1

64

32

4

2003 May 19-21

66

30

4

2003 May 5-7

69

28

3

2003 Apr 22-23

70

26

4

2003 Apr 14-16

71

24

5

2003 Apr 7-9

69

26

5

2003 Apr 5-6

70

27

3

2003 Mar 29-30

71

26

3

2003 Mar 24-25

69

27

4

2003 Mar 22-23

71

25

4

2003 Mar 14-15

58

38

4

2003 Mar 3-5

57

37

6

2003 Feb 24-26

57

37

6

2003 Feb 17-19

58

37

5

2003 Feb 7-9

61

34

5

2003 Feb 3-6

59

35

6

2003 Jan 31-Feb 2

61

35

4

2003 Jan 23-25

60

36

4

2003 Jan 20-22

58

36

6

2003 Jan 13-16

61

34

5

2003 Jan 10-12

58

37

5

2003 Jan 3-5

63

32

5

2002

 

 

 

2002 Dec 19-22

61

32

7

2002 Dec 16-17

63

33

4

2002 Dec 9-10

63

32

5

2002 Dec 5-8

64

29

7

2002 Nov 22-24

65

28

7

2002 Nov 11-14

66

26

8

2002 Nov 8-10

68

27

5

2002 Oct 31-Nov 3

63

29

8

2002 Oct 21-22

67

28

5

2002 Oct 14-17

62

31

7

2002 Oct 3-6

67

28

5

2002 Sep 23-26

68

26

6

2002 Sep 20-22

66

30

4

2002 Sep 13-16

70

26

4

2002 Sep 5-8

66

30

4

2002 Sep 2-4

66

29

5

2002 Aug 19-21

65

28

7

2002 Aug 5-8

68

26

6

2002 Jul 29-31

71

23

6

2002 Jul 26-28

69

26

5

2002 Jul 22-24

69

24

7

2002 Jul 9-11

73

21

6

2002 Jul 5-8

76

18

6

2002 Jun 28-30

76

19

5

2002 Jun 21-23

73

21

6

2002 Jun 17-19

74

20

6

2002 Jun 7-8

74

18

8

2002 Jun 3-6

70

23

7

2002 May 28-29

77

17

6

2002 May 20-22

76

17

7

2002 May 6-9

76

19

5

2002 Apr 29-May 1

77

20

3

2002 Apr 22-24

77

17

6

2002 Apr 8-11

75

20

5

2002 Apr 5-7

76

19

5

2002 Mar 22-24

79

17

4

2002 Mar 18-20

79

16

5

2002 Mar 8-9

80

14

6

2002 Mar 4-7

77

18

5

2002 Mar 1-3

81

14

5

2002 Feb 8-10

82

14

4

2002 Feb 4-6

82

14

4

2002 Jan 25-27

84

13

3

2002 Jan 11-14

83

13

4

2002 Jan 7-9

84

12

4

2001

 

 

 

2001 Dec 14-16

86

11

3

2001 Dec 6-9

86

10

4

2001 Nov 26-27

87

8

5

2001 Nov 8-11

87

9

4

2001 Nov 2-4

87

9

4

2001 Oct 19-21

88

9

3

2001 Oct 11-14

89

8

3

2001 Oct 5-6

87

10

3

2001 Sep 21-22

90

6

4

2001 Sep 14-15

86

10

4

2001 Sep 7-10

51

39

10

2001 Aug 24-26

55

36

9

2001 Aug 16-19

57

34

9

2001 Aug 10-12

57

35

8

2001 Aug 3-5

55

35

10

2001 Jul 19-22

56

33

11

2001 Jul 10-11

57

35

8

2001 Jun 28-Jul 1

52

34

14

2001 Jun 11-17

55

33

12

2001 Jun 8-10

55

35

10

2001 May 18-20

56

36

8

2001 May 10-14

56

31

13

2001 May 7-9

53

33

14

2001 Apr 20-22

62

29

9

2001 Apr 6-8

59

30

11

2001 Mar 26-28

53

29

18

2001 Mar 9-11

58

29

13

2001 Mar 5-7

63

22

15

2001 Feb 19-21

62

21

17

2001 Feb 9-11

57

25

18

2001 Feb 1-4

57

25

18


Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/27223/Bush-35-Approval-Average-Most-Recent-Quarter-Lowest-Date.aspx
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