BETWEEN NOW AND THE ELECTIONS, THE AIRWAVES AND THE PRESS IS GONNA'
SATURATE US WITH DIRE WARNINGS ABOUT EMINENT TERRORIST ATTACKS, KOREAN
NUCLEAR THREATS AND WMD. WE MIGHT EVEN INVADE ANOTHER SOVERIGN NATION.
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Released: September 06, 2003

Bush Numbers Hit New Low; Dean Tops List of Democratic
Presidential Contenders, New Zogby America Poll Reveals

President George W. Bush’s job performance ratings have reached the
lowest point since his pre-Inauguration days, continuing a steady decline
since a post-9/11 peak, according to a new Zogby America poll of 1,013 likely
voters conducted September 3-5.

Less than half (45%) of the respondents said they rated his job performance
good or excellent, while a majority (54%) said it was fair or poor. In August
Zogby International polling, his rating was 52% positive, 48% negative.
Today’s results mark the first time a majority of likely voters have given the
president an unfavorable job performance rating since he took office.

Bush Job Performance Positive% Negative %
September 2003 45 54
August 2003 52 48
July 2003 53 46
March 2003 54 45
September 2002 64 36
September 2001 82 17
August 2001 50 49
January 2001 42 36

A majority (52%) said it’s time for someone new in the White House, while
just two in five (40%) said the president deserves to be re-elected. Last
month, 45% said re-election was in order, and 48% said it was time for
someone new.

A like number (52%) said the country is heading in the wrong direction, while
40% said it is the right direction.

Overall opinion of President Bush has also slipped to 54% favorable – 45%
unfavorable, compared to August polling which indicated 58% favorable,
40% unfavorable.

Just two in five (40%) said they would choose Bush if the election were held
today, while 47% said they would elect a Democratic candidate. In August
polling, respondents were split (43% each) over President Bush or any
Democratic challenger.

In the same poll, likely Democratic primary voters give a plurality of their
support to former Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean (16%), whose
campaign has been gathering support in recent polling. He is followed by
Massachusetts Senator John Kerry (13%), Connecticut Senator Joseph
Lieberman (12%), and Missouri Congressman Richard Gephardt (8%). No
other candidate polled more than 3%.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of the likely Democratic primary voters said it is
somewhat or very likely that President Bush will be re-elected in November
2004, regardless of how they intend to vote.

The Zogby America poll involved 1,013 likely voters selected randomly from
throughout the 48 contiguous states using listed residential telephone
numbers. Polling was conducted from Zogby International’s Call Center in
Utica, NY. The poll has a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.2%. The
Democratic candidates’ portion of the poll involved 507 respondents, and
has a margin of error of +/- 4.5%.