BUSH JOB APPROVAL RATINGS ON THE RISE! ALMOST A QUARTER OF AMERICANS THINK HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB

In early February the American Research Group polling found that only 19% of adults (18% of registered voters) approved of Bush's job performance. That was his lowest ever rating and I've been looking forward to single digits. Maybe it's a glitch but as of their latest poll (March 16-19), 24% of adults now approve of how Bush is carrying out his job. His disapproval rating didn't go down much though. In February 77% disapproved of him as President. Today only 75% disapprove. It's worse when it comes to the way he's handled the economy. His disapproval rating has risen-- from 79% to 80%.

Do you find it odd that his numbers are improving-- even if the approval numbers are still deep in the toilet? In February only 47% of adults felt the Bush Recession had kicked in. Today a staggering 66% know the economy is in recession-- and 42% feel the economy is terrible, up from 20% last month. ARG speculates on what caused the slight spike up. Republican partisans are rallying around their leader as the climate has turned more political and electoral. (Normal people still hate him.)

Increased approval among Republicans has moved George W. Bush's overall job approval to 24% according to the latest survey from the American Research Group. Those disapproving of the way Bush is handling his job and the economy remain at or near record highs for American Research Group polling during Bush's tenure in office as 86% of Americans say the national economy is getting worse and 66% say the national economy is in a recession.

...Among Americans registered to vote, 26% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 73% disapprove. When it comes to the way Bush is handling the economy, 19% of registered voters approve of the way Bush is handling the economy and 78% disapprove.

In the February 2008 survey, 45% of Republicans approved of the way Bush was handling his job and 50% disapproved. In the latest survey, 72% of Republicans approve of the way Bush is handling his job and 26% disapprove. Bush did not receive the same turnaround among Republicans for his handling of the economy. In the February 2008 survey, 41% of Republicans approved of the way Bush was handling the economy and 54% disapproved. In the latest survey, 50% of Republicans approve of the way Bush is handling the economy and 44% disapprove.

ARG also released new polling numbers for the Senate race in New Hampshire. Although 20% of voters say they are undecided, Shaheen is leading Sununu 47%-33%. But even more painful for Sununu is that 61% of voters not affiliated with either party say they are voting for Shaheen, up from 41% in December. A Bush rubber stamp isn't what they're looking for the clean up the mess that Sununu actively participated in making.
As it starts sinking in that Iraq-- and the Bush-McCain escalation, euphemistically called "the surge"-- is failing, you can expect Bush's numbers to resume their downward path and you can expect shameless rubber stamps like Sununu to watch their own re-elect numbers tumble precipitously.

A cease-fire critical to the improved security situation in Iraq appeared to unravel Monday when a militia loyal to radical Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al Sadr began shutting down neighborhoods in west Baghdad and issuing demands of the central government.

Simultaneously, in the strategic southern port city of Basra, where Sadr's Mahdi militia is in control, the Iraqi government launched a crackdown in the face of warnings by Sadr's followers that they'll fight government forces if any Sadrists are detained. By 1 a.m. Arab satellite news channels reported clashes between the Mahdi Army and police in Basra.

The freeze on offensive activity by Sadr's Mahdi Army has been a major factor behind the recent drop in violence in Iraq, and there were fears that the confrontation that's erupted in Baghdad and Basra could end the lull in attacks, assassinations, kidnappings and bombings.

As the U.S. military recorded its 4,000th death in Iraq, U.S. officials in Baghdad warned again Monday that drawing down troops too quickly could collapse Iraq's fragile security situation.

McCain and his Cheney/Lieberman/Graham NeoCon posse are desperate to maintain the canard that the escalation is working. McCain was grabbing anyone who would listen and insisting it's all working out just the way he planned:

"We're succeeding. I don't care what anybody says. I've seen the facts on the ground," he screeched at reporters, a day after a roadside bomb in Baghdad killed four U.S. soldiers and rockets pounded the U.S.-protected Green Zone there, and a wave of attacks left at least 61 Iraqis dead nationwide.

McCain is unstable and now he's becoming unhinged.