Fresh Zogby Poll: On Iraq And Overall, Bush Approval Rating Rises

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Zogby International says a new poll shows President George W. Bush's approval rating rose 5% in the last week, a period of time when he was out of the nation and traveling in Latin America. The polling firm noted the president's absence, but said the rebound was probably helped by a slight uptick in those who support his handling of the War in Iraq.

The big, and perhaps hard to believe, swing -- a 5% shift in the number of Democrats who gave the president good marks on the war. It went from 3% to 8%.

Zogby said Bush's approval rating was at 35% in a telephone survey of 1,028 likely voters across the nation. The poll was taken March 7-9. His negative rating was 65%, the lowest since last October. Zogby offered some analysis that pointed out Republican support of Bush's handling of the war declined while Democrats and Independents gave him a slight bump up. Still, the numbers were clear that most Americans rate the handling of the war as flawed.

"In addition to a positive job rating boost for Bush, the same poll finds a slight increase in his ratings for handling the war in Iraq overall. 26% give him a positive performance rating on the war, up from 23% in polling in early March. While nearly half of Republicans (47%) said they approve of how Bush in handling the war, Republican support is down slightly from our last round of polling, when it stood at 49%.

"As Republican support slips slightly, gains have been made among Democrats and independents. Although there is significantly less support for Bush's handling of the war among Democrats, 8% give positive ratings to his handling of the war, up from just 3% in our last round of polling. Among independents, 25% approve of Bush's handling of the war, a boost from 15% who said the same earlier this month.''

U.S. GOP Loves Adulterers For President Says Canadian On Zogby's Website

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Zogby International, the polling firm, has an article on its Website from Canada that says the "Scarlet A" which once disqualified presidential candidates apparently has no impact today. Adulterers are strong contenders for the White House on the Republican side. Zogby did not poll on moral issues, but posted the article for newsworthiness and because it mentioned the firm's survey showing President George Bush's Iraq War policies are unpopular among Americans.

The article is HERE , and it notes Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Newt Gingrich all fooled around and have constituencies that want them in the White House. It wonders how anyone can trust them "when they have betrayed their own wives" by flouting marriage vows. The author is David Pyne, who wrote for a Canadian site called Enter Stage Right. Pyne predicts the Democrats would have have a field day tarring any of the three as total hypocrites on moral issues.

"How is it that the scarlet 'A" which used to be a disqualifier for presidential candidates even on the Democratic Party side as recently as 1987 when Gary Hart withdrew from the presidential contest in the wake of his affair with Donna Rice and for which the GOP impeached President Bill Clinton has now become a non-issue [in a] party known for its its support of social conservatism and family values?

"When John McCain ran for President in 2000 as a former adulterer it was something of a novelty. This election season, however, it is appearing increasingly to be the norm as GOP voters completely ignore or forgive such major past personal 'indiscretions' in search of finding a candidate who they believe can win."