Rasmussen Poll Shows Pres Bush Favorable Ratings At 46%
Interestingly the polls you read or saw on television about President Bush's approval rating dipping below 40% today were probably taken of people who don't vote, are registered Democrats in greater numbers than Republicans, or were the ones not weeded out because they have the "right," I mean "left," demographics, said (more or less) Matt Margolis today in his blog.
To understand a poll, you have to know a few facts: who took it, why they took it, who paid for the poll, who they sampled, and it wouldn't hurt to see the questions they used and the demographics of those who were polled, either. You can't know what information you are looking at if you do not have at least this much information.
Polls are generally taken by someone with something to prove to one public or another. Random scientific polls identify themselves as such. Here's the Rassmussen Poll results.
"Monday September 12, 2005--Forty-six percent (46%) of American adults now approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President.
Fifty-three percent (53%) disapprove.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Republicans now give the President their Approval. That positive assessment is shared by 19% of Democrats and 36% of those not affiliated with either major party.
Fifty-three percent (53%) of Americans believe the world would be a better place if other countries were more like the United States. That figure reflects a significant decline from previous years.
On the fourth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, most Americans believe their nation was changed for the worse by those attacks. Four years ago, most Americans held the opposite view.
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, consumer confidence fell to its lowest level in more than two years. It has recovered somewhat, but remains well below month ago levels...."
"...Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Americans agree with the President on the importance of succeeding in Iraq. However, just 48% believe success is likely.
During 2004, reports on the President Job Approval were based upon surveys of Likely Voters. Typically, a survey of Likely Voters would report a Job Approval rating 2-3 points higher than a survey of all adults.
On Election Day, the President's Job Approval was at 52%. During all of 2004, the President's Job Approval ranged from a high of 57% in early January to a low of 48% on May 17.
The President's highest rating of 2005 was 54% on February 4."
Matt Margolis in his blog, September 12: Early this morning I heard on Fox News about the latest AP-Ipsos poll on the President's approval ratings... According to the poll, only 39% of Americans approve of the Presidents job performance... The first time Bush's approval dipped below 40%...
But, if you look at the internals of this poll, you'll see why...
Half the respondents were asked party identification in this location, the other half were asked at the end of the survey with the other demographic questions. Results for the respondents who were asked the question early were 41% Republican, 45% Democrat. For the respondents asked later in the survey, the results were 42% Republican, 51% Democrat.
Severe oversampling of Democrats... Also, only 76% of respondents were registered voters.
It seems clear that a poll like this was meant to convey the impression that Bush lost support for his handling of Hurricane Katrina.
If you are one of those who think President Bush's approval rating has taken a dive, take a guess at whether or not you think his numbers have dropped since he was elected.
If you'll look at the scientific Gallup Poll taken back then (October 29-31, 2004) showing who would vote for John Kerry and who would vote for George Bush at election time last year, you'll probably be surprised. If you go to the Gallup Poll on the USA Today site and toggle between "Registered and Likely" voters, you'll see there is virtually no difference today in the poll ratings of our President. If you look further, you'll see lots of other ways to spin even that poll.
President Bush was at either 46% or 48% then (one was registered voters and the other likely voters) and he is at 46% today. I'd venture to say that it's the same split then as now. I think few Kerry fans have changed their minds. I think few fans of the President have either.
So why is it people pay for these polls, anyway?
Sources: Rassmussen Polls - http://www.rasmussenreports.com/Bush_Job_Approval.htm
Gallup Poll - http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/polls/usatodaypolls.htm
Blogs For Bush - http://www.blogsforbush.com/ - September 12, 2005 Current page
WLU - http://journalism.wlu.edu/J203/polls.htm
To understand a poll, you have to know a few facts: who took it, why they took it, who paid for the poll, who they sampled, and it wouldn't hurt to see the questions they used and the demographics of those who were polled, either. You can't know what information you are looking at if you do not have at least this much information.
Polls are generally taken by someone with something to prove to one public or another. Random scientific polls identify themselves as such. Here's the Rassmussen Poll results.
"Monday September 12, 2005--Forty-six percent (46%) of American adults now approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President.
Fifty-three percent (53%) disapprove.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Republicans now give the President their Approval. That positive assessment is shared by 19% of Democrats and 36% of those not affiliated with either major party.
Fifty-three percent (53%) of Americans believe the world would be a better place if other countries were more like the United States. That figure reflects a significant decline from previous years.
On the fourth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, most Americans believe their nation was changed for the worse by those attacks. Four years ago, most Americans held the opposite view.
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, consumer confidence fell to its lowest level in more than two years. It has recovered somewhat, but remains well below month ago levels...."
"...Seventy-nine percent (79%) of Americans agree with the President on the importance of succeeding in Iraq. However, just 48% believe success is likely.
During 2004, reports on the President Job Approval were based upon surveys of Likely Voters. Typically, a survey of Likely Voters would report a Job Approval rating 2-3 points higher than a survey of all adults.
On Election Day, the President's Job Approval was at 52%. During all of 2004, the President's Job Approval ranged from a high of 57% in early January to a low of 48% on May 17.
The President's highest rating of 2005 was 54% on February 4."
Matt Margolis in his blog, September 12: Early this morning I heard on Fox News about the latest AP-Ipsos poll on the President's approval ratings... According to the poll, only 39% of Americans approve of the Presidents job performance... The first time Bush's approval dipped below 40%...
But, if you look at the internals of this poll, you'll see why...
Half the respondents were asked party identification in this location, the other half were asked at the end of the survey with the other demographic questions. Results for the respondents who were asked the question early were 41% Republican, 45% Democrat. For the respondents asked later in the survey, the results were 42% Republican, 51% Democrat.
Severe oversampling of Democrats... Also, only 76% of respondents were registered voters.
It seems clear that a poll like this was meant to convey the impression that Bush lost support for his handling of Hurricane Katrina.
If you are one of those who think President Bush's approval rating has taken a dive, take a guess at whether or not you think his numbers have dropped since he was elected.
If you'll look at the scientific Gallup Poll taken back then (October 29-31, 2004) showing who would vote for John Kerry and who would vote for George Bush at election time last year, you'll probably be surprised. If you go to the Gallup Poll on the USA Today site and toggle between "Registered and Likely" voters, you'll see there is virtually no difference today in the poll ratings of our President. If you look further, you'll see lots of other ways to spin even that poll.
President Bush was at either 46% or 48% then (one was registered voters and the other likely voters) and he is at 46% today. I'd venture to say that it's the same split then as now. I think few Kerry fans have changed their minds. I think few fans of the President have either.
So why is it people pay for these polls, anyway?
Sources: Rassmussen Polls - http://www.rasmussenreports.com/Bush_Job_Approval.htm
Gallup Poll - http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/polls/usatodaypolls.htm
Blogs For Bush - http://www.blogsforbush.com/ - September 12, 2005 Current page
WLU - http://journalism.wlu.edu/J203/polls.htm
posted by Hairpinandarrow_blog at
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