Poll: Bush Performance Ratings Plummet

June 7, 2005 — -- The corrosive influence of the war in Iraq and a disconnect with the public on political priorities are casting a pall over the early months of George W. Bush's second term.

Fifty-two percent of Americans now disapprove of Bush's performance in office, the most (albeit by a single point) in ABC News/Washington Post polls since his presidency began. Forty-eight percent approve.

While that's still nearly an even division on Bush (with continued sharp polarization between Democrats and Republicans), intensity of sentiment is running against him: Thirty-eight percent "strongly" disapprove of his performance, compared with 27 percent who strongly approve.

That reflects Bush's weakness among political independents, who are nearly three times more likely to strongly disapprove than to strongly approve of his work overall.

The continued difficulties in Iraq are a sharp thorn. Just 41 percent of Americans now approve of Bush's handling of the situation there, while 58 percent disapprove, matching his career-high disapproval on Iraq. Bush hasn't seen majority approval for his work on Iraq in nearly a year and a half.

More broadly, the poll finds a disconnect in terms of Bush's agenda: As his second term progresses, 58 percent say he's not concentrating on things that are important to them personally, while 41 percent say he is. Again, Democrats are roundly critical on this score, and Republicans overwhelmingly supportive; the difference is in the center, among independents, who say by 68 percent-32 percent that Bush is not focusing on their concerns.

This initial summary of the latest ABC/Post poll will be updated with a fuller analysis at 5 p.m. today. This survey was conducted Thursday through Sunday among a random national sample of 1,002 adults. The results have a three-point error margin.