President Bush’s “base” is estimated to be only 24% of the nation’s voters and the USAT/Gallup poll places the his slumping approval rating within 7% of that!

USAT includes a priceless Republican quote in the announcement: parachute300x300
"It is a challenging political environment," acknowledges Tracey Schmitt, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, "but we are confident that ultimately voters in November will recognize that a Democrat Congress would simply not be equipped to ensure either economic or national security for our nation."

Good News
52% of Conservatives and 68% of Republicans approved of the job Bush is doing.

Bad News
28% of Moderates gave him the nod, 7% of the Liberals.

Questionable News
USAT Continues: “Only four presidents have scored lower approval ratings since the Gallup Poll began regularly measuring it in the mid-1940s: Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and the first George Bush. When Nixon, Carter and the elder Bush sank below 35%, they never again registered above 40%.”

Let’s see, what’s happened during the past week? What about Libby Dole, head of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, using scare tactics in a fundraising letter sent to the faithful? It contended that if Democrats seize power in Congress they will "call for endless investigations, congressional censure and maybe even impeachment of President Bush."

Seemed a good idea at the time - without any Republican achievements to report and with Neil’s CD and the cut about impeachment getting a lot of buzz.

Then, House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, told the Washington Post that when the Democrats took over Congress in January 2007, they‘d take quick action to raise the minimum wage, roll back the unworkable parts of the Republican prescription drug law, implement homeland security measures, and reinstate lapsed budget deficit controls. And, oh yes, indeedee, they’d do exactly as Libby Dole had predicted!

Pelosi has been criticized by some pundits for not downplaying the inevitable investigations and just emphasizing the positives of what the party stands for. Their argument is that the swing voters in Omaha and Apache Junction are sick and tired of Congressional bickering and want to hear about something that will benefit them before they go to the polls in November.

Perhaps it’s premature, but it doesn’t look to me like Nancy really saved the day for the freefalling President or for the Republicans. Maybe she’ll try again.

Bush continued his political gravity-defying performance by tossing Iranian President Ahmadinejad's letter into the circular file. The Wall Street Journal editors applaud Bush’s move but didn’t publish their copy of the letter. That was sort of like handing the President a brick to slow his fall

Does this guy have a parachute?