archived: 25 - 31 Mar, 2007         Back                 Next

UPDATED: March 29, 2007

                        MR. MAJORITY LEADER 

We have a national Party!  Sen. Reid, Senate Majority Leader, held Democrats together Tuesday, as the US Senate voted to retain non-binding timetables in supplemental appropriations for the war in Iraq.  The vote surprised many political pundits, who did not believe that Majority Leader Reid could hold Democrats to support the timetable.  Democrats lost, as expected, Senator Lieberman; but unexpectedly held conservative Democrat Ben Nelson.  Two Republicans voted with Democrats; Sens. Chuck Hagel and Gordon Smith. 

With Democrats in the House and Senate adopting the timetables, differences between the two bills will be reconciled between House and Senate negotiators and the supplemental appropriations with the timetables will be sent to Bush.  Bush will veto the legislation as he has promised.  Democrats simply do not have the votes in either the House or the Senate to override Bush’s promised veto. 

Yet, Congressional Democrats demonstrated that they are truly a national Party.    The vote represents that Democrats of differing views are willing to work through their intra-Party differences to formulate policy on the most contentious issue facing America today.  If Congressional Democrats can sustain a coherent policy on the most critical issue facing America, Democrats can formulate policy on a full range of national issues.  

Bush will not “listen” as Sen. Durbin hopes in the article below.  For those who work to make and end of Bush’s war in Iraq, the fight must go on. Democrats should not underestimate what has been accomplished this week:

The message for Democrats is quite simple; remain determined to make the case against the war, demonstrate steely resolve in organizing Americans at the grass roots level and keep Congress voting at every opportunity.  For Majority Leader Reid, job most well done. 

                        MR. BUSH 

One poll has been released since TPJ’s last report; USA Today/Gallup.  Americans who disapprove of Bush’s performance in office clearly remains above 60%.  In our estimation, Bush will close out March above 60%, the third consecutive month in a row (highlighted in gray).  Prior to  January 2007, Bush’s disapproval rating exceeded 60% only once; May 2006 (highlighted in blue).   

The sum and substance of current polls demonstrates again that Bush’s support is largely limited to Republicans as attitudes among Democrats and Independents hardens against Republicans.  Three polling firms have found that those who believe that Americans is generally on the “right tract” are below 30% in March.  The results of each poll are strikingly similar: 

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. March 14-16, 2007. N=1,001 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.
.
"Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time?"
.
		Satisfied	Dissatisfied	Unsure
		%	%	%
	3/14-16/07	28	64	8
	1/24-25/07	30	61	9
	1/17-18/07	30	62	8
	12/6-7/06	31	59	10
	11/9-10/06	29	63	8
	11/2-3/06	29	64	7
	10/26-27/06	31	61	8

Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. March 5-7, 2007. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.
.
"Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?"
.
		Right Direction	Wrong Track	Unsure
		%	%	%			.
	3/5-7/07	29	68	3			.
	2/5-7/07	28	68	4			.
	1/16-18/07	29	66	5			.
	1/8-10/07	28	67	5			.
	12/4-6/06	28	68	4			.
	11/13-15/06	34	61	5			.
	10/20-25/06	29	66	5			.
	10/2-4/06	31	64	5

 

NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll conducted by the polling organizations of Peter Hart (D) and Neil Newhouse (R). March 2-5, 2007. N=1,007 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1. RV = registered voters. LV = likely voters. Except where noted, results below are among all adults.
.
"All in all, do you think things in the nation are generally headed in the right direction, or do you feel that things are off on the wrong track?"
.
		Right Direction	Wrong Track	Mixed (vol.)	Unsure
		%	%	%	%
	3/2-5/07	25	58	14	3
	1/17-20/07	28	57	13	2
	12/8-11/06	28	58	11	3
	10/28-30/06 RV	29	56	13	2
	10/13-16/06 RV	26	61	11	2

These numbers suggest that Bush’s approval ratings will not gain traction anytime in the immediate future absent some extraordinary developments.