I Told Ya’ So

A CNN/Gallup Poll released today indicates that George W. Bush in now the most unpopular modern president in history. The modern presidency is considered by many political scientists to have begun in 1933 when FDR took office. Over this time span of 75 years, 12 presidents, including Bush have occupied the White House. Bush’s disapproval rating has now hit a staggering 70 percent, the first time, according to CNN, that any modern president has ever cracked the 70 percent line. Bush’s approval rating is at 28 percent, which is not the lowest, as both Harry Truman and Richard Nixon still take the cake in that regard, at 24 and 22 percent respectively. Truman use to hold the record for the highest disapproval rating at 67 percent, but luckily for him, Bush now has the honor of holding this unique position amongst American presidents.

For many Americans, these are probably pointless numbers from another pointless survey of 1000 people or so, but for an individual of my background and training, frankly, this is marvelous. This is the time when many Bush opponents, including myself get to say, “I told ya’ so!” Specifically, the brunt of Bush’s disapproval comes from the ongoing debacle in Iraq. I have the feeling that no matter how much “good” the president believes this war is doing for the country; history will not be as kind as he has been on himself. If I were authoring a history book 20 years from now, I would write that Iraq was a pointless debacle that in no way shape or form benefitted this country or its people. Whatever happened to the notion of “we the people?”

For some more perspective on this matter of approval and disapproval ratings, let’s review the approval ratings of the most recent presidents. When Bill Clinton left the White House in January 2001, his approval rating was at 65 percent, the highest of any modern president. When Ronald Reagan left office in January 1989, his approval rating was at 64 percent. Eisenhower left office with a 59 percent approval rating; Kennedy’s approval rating was at 63 percent in November 1963; and Bush Sr.’s approval rating was at 56 percent when he was defeated by the above mentioned Bill Clinton in November 1992. Americans have the tendency to grow tired of a president by the end of his second term (and are obviously fed up if he isn’t re-elected to a second term), as the above numbers indicate. But even those numbers hold a steady average of above at least 55 percent. Long story short, I believe this country made a huge mistake when THEY re-elected Bush in November 2004.