Poll: Bush Already a Lame Duck

Two-thirds of Americans-66 percent-believe that President Bush will be unable to get much done for theremainder of his second term, according to the Nov. 9-10, 2006 Newsweek Poll.

Only 30 percent say he can be effective. Bush's approval rating has dropped to an historic low in the Newsweek Poll of 31 percent-four points below the rating recorded the week before the midterm elections in the Nov. 2-3 poll. Only 29 percent of Americans say they are satisfied with the way things are going in the United States; 63 percent say they are dissatisfied.

Days after congressional elections gave Democrats control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, large majorities of Americans say they support the Democrats' legislative agenda including: allowing the government to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to lowerdrug prices for seniors (92 percent of those polled say it should be apriority, 75 percent say it should be a top priority); increasing theminimum wage (89 percent say it should be a priority, 68 percent say itshould be a top priority); and investigating government contracts in Iraq (89 percent say it should be a priority, 60 percent say it should be a top priority).

Additionally, 86 percent of Americans say that adopting new rules to limit the influence of lobbyists should be a priority, 89 percent sayinvestigating charges of impropriety or wrong-doing by members of Congress should be a priority and 75 percent say investigating questions about thedecision to go to war with Iraq should be a priority. Rolling back some ofthe Bush tax cuts receives less support; 40 percent say it should be a top priority, 32 percent say a lower priority. When asked whether Congres sshould impeach President Bush, 25 percent of Americans say it should be atop priority and 23 percent say it should be a lower priority. Fifty percent say it should not be done at all.

Americans also have concerns over actions the new Democratic Congress may take, according to the Newsweek Poll. Fifty-one percent are very concerned that Congress might push too hastily for the withdrawal of U.S.troops from Iraq; 27 percent are somewhat concerned. Only 20 percent say they are not too concerned or not at all concerned. And 43 percent are very concerned and 26 percent somewhat concerned that the new Congress may keepthe Bush administration from doing what is necessary to combat terrorism.

Twenty-nine percent say they are not too concerned or not at all concerned. Sixty-six percent are very or somewhat concerned that Congress might spend too much time investigating the Bush administration and Republican scandals; 32 percent are not too concerned or not at all concerned.

Fifty-four percent of Americans say they are very or somewhat concerned that lawmakers might unfairly block qualified Bush appointments to the federal courts; 43 percent are not too concerned or not at all concerned.

Still, 51 percent of Americans-including 18 percent ofRepublicans-believe the Democrats winning control of Congress is a goodthing, the Newsweek Poll shows. And 34 percent of Americans have afavorable impression of presumed House speaker Nancy Pelosi, versus 20 percent who have an unfavorable impression and 17 percent who have neverheard of her. Twenty-five percent of Americans have a favorable impression of presumed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, versus 17 percent that have an unfavorable impression and 24 percent who have never heard of him.

When asked about overall priorities for the Congress and the president over the next two years, 51 percent of Americans say the Iraq war andnational security should be the bigger priority, while 33 percent say domestic issues like the economy and health care should be. Fifteen percentsay they should be equal priorities. When asked if Democrats and Republicans will be able to work together given that control of Congressand the White House is now split, 54 percent of Americans say that partisan bickering will prevent important work from getting done while 40 percentsay the two sides will be able to work together.

Only 31 percent of Americans approve of how Vice President Dick Cheney is handling his job, according to the Newsweek Poll. Fifty-six percent disapprove. Twenty-four percent approve of how outgoing Secretary ofDefense Donald Rumsfeld is handling his job; 62 percent disapprove.

When asked why Bush may have refused Rumsfeld's resignation earlier in the administration, 83 percent say not wanting to change Pentagon leadership inthe middle of a war was a reason (58 percent say it was a major reason), 78 percent say Bush's loyalty to those he works with was a reason (54 percent say it was a major reason), 78 percent say it was because Bush believed Rumsfeld was doing a good job and 74 percent say it was because of Bush's stubbornness and unwillingness to admit mistakes.

Looking ahead to the 2008 presidential election, the Newsweek Poll finds that 48 percent of registered voters would like generally to see a Democrat elected president; 28 percent want a Republican; 20 percent say they don't know. When it comes to specific potential candidates, 53 percent of registered voters say there's a chance they'd vote for Hillary Clinton(33 percent say a good chance). Forty-five percent say there is no chance. Fifty-one percent say there is a chance they would vote for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (24 percent say a good chance); 43 percent say thereis no chance. Fifty-four percent say there is a chance they would vote for Rudy Giuliani (24 percent say a good chance); 32 percent say no chance.

Fifty-four percent say there is a chance they would vote for John McCain (20 percent say a good chance); 32 percent say there is no chance.

For this Newsweek Poll, Princeton Survey Research Associates International interviewed 1,006 adults aged 18 and older on Nov. 9-10. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points. This pollis part of the Nov. 20 issue of Newsweek, on newsstands Monday, Nov. 13.