From the Hotline:
It’s Not Me, It’s You
A month ago, all the rage in the pundit world was “when will Cong. GOPers start distancing themselves from Pres. Bush?” Fast forward a month, and it appears Bush is the one searching for distance.
– The latest Diageo/Hotline poll finds Bush with his first post-Katrina job rating in the 50s (50% to be exact). Meanwhile, Congress’ job rating hit another low. Are these numbers an outlier or part of the trend? Consider, we were in the field Monday and Tuesday, probably as good of earned media days Bush has had in months.
– Bush’s movement up is thanks mostly to GOPers coming home, while Congress’ strong move down is, well, thanks to more GOPers disapproving (54%).
– Beyond Bush and Congress, however, is possibly the biggest question in our survey. Which issue should Congress tackle first in ‘06: Iraq or rebuilding the Gulf Coast? By a landslide, the public wants the Gulf Coast rebuilt (58-28%). However, it’s worth noting that self-I.D. GOPers picked Iraq (46-37%). Is this a reflection of message discipline among GOPers who are more apt to side with whatever Bush is talking about as the country’s top priority?