Dubya's Numbers Post-TV Appearance

They ain't good. In a recent USAToday/Gallup poll done recently, data from before dubya's speech and after were compared.

• 47% said it is "certain" or "likely" the U.S. will "win" in Iraq, vs. 50% who said that before Bush's speech.

• 49% said it is "unlikely" the U.S. will win or "certain" it will not, vs. 46% who said that before Bush's speech.

• 29% said the president does have a "clear plan" for handling the situation in Iraq, vs. 25% who said that before the speech.

• 69% said the president does not have a "clear plan," vs. 72% who said that before the speech.

• 21% said Democrats in Congress have a "clear plan" for Iraq, vs. 25% who said that before the speech.

• 75% said Democrats in Congress do not have a "clear plan" for Iraq, vs. 66% who said that before the speech.

• Bush's overall "approval rating" stood at 34%, vs. 37% before the speech.

• The percentage who said they disapprove of Bush's performance as president was 63%, vs. 59% before the speech.

Ouch. So the numbers either inched downward or stayed the same. This is a failed presidency.

Josh Michah Marshall over at talkingpointsmemo.com explains things far better than I can.

President Bush is by any reasonable measure extremely unpopular. Not unpopular -- extremely unpopular. Mid-low forties is unpopular. Mid-low thirties is extremely unpopular. Almost, but not quite unprecedented in the modern era for such a sustained period of time. The Iraq War is one of the few things that rivals his unpopularity. And the public, after signaling deep opposition to the war at the polls, sees this extremely unpopular president come before them to announce that he's expanding the really unpopular war. And if that's not enough he has the quavering look of a degenerate gambler begging his wife, half cockily half desperately, for one more chance.

And something interesting thing that atrios points out - the mainstream media (OK, Hardball - but still) was actually discussing Clinton's resignation when his approval numbers were in the mid-40s.

More evidence of a liberal media, folks. When a Democratic president's poll numbers (inaccurately, as it turns out) dip below 50, one segment of the mainstream media is discussing his resignation. When the Republican's numbers are worse (indeed when his assaults on the rule of law are far worse and far more deadly) there is more or less silence.

Liberal media. Yea, right.