Bush approval hits all-time low

2007-05-06 07:35

Washington - President George W Bush's approval rating has fallen to 28% in a Newsweek poll released on Saturday, an all-time low for Bush in that survey.

Nearly two out of three Americans ? 62% - believe Bush's recent actions in Iraq show he is "stubborn and unwilling to admit his mistakes," Newsweek reported. Just 30% think Bush's execution of the Iraq war demonstrates he is "willing to take political risks" to do what's right.

Bush's unpopularity may also be casting a dark shadow over Republican chances for keeping the White House in 2008. Democratic front-runners lead potential Republican contenders in head-to-head match-ups across the board, the poll suggests.

Illinois senator Barack Obama fares best against the lead Republicans so far in the race. Obama bested Republican front-runner and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani by 50% to 43% among registered voters who responded to the poll.

Obama topped Arizona senator John McCain by 52% to 39% and defeated former Massachusetts governor. Mitt Romney by 58% to 29%, Newsweek reported.

New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, the front-runner among Democratic voters, topped Giuliani by 49% to 46%, beat out McCain 50% to 44% and outdistanced Romney 57% to 35%, the poll found.

Former North Carolina senator John Edwards topped Giuliani by 6 points, McCain by 10 and Romney by 37 points in the poll.

The poll, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International on Wednesday and Thursday, interviewed 1 001 adults 18 and older. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

- Reuters