Posted by
Tim Blessing on Thursday, March 06, 2008 7:19:18 PM
In a book on Richard Nixon and written by Fox News Analyst Monica Crowley Nixon commented on Polls.
It is better to have a solid 60% approval than a soft 80% approval or a hard core 40% approval. I believe this what Nixon said.
Where Bush I is concerned: Crowley remarked his popularity has no ceiling whereas Nixon commented he has no floor.
This was a year after Desert Storm and sure enough Bush I's poll ratings went through the floor and lost the election.
Nixon alway's appealed to the silent majority.
Reagan alway's maintained 60% approval ratings as did Eisenhower.
Kennedy had good approval ratings, but his effectiveness was somewhat alway's in doubt.
Iraq has crippled Bush II politically and his poll ratings reflect this frustration.
You cannot look to polls for all of your solutions, but you can't ignore them entirely.
Bush took a consensus forged in the fire pits of Afghanistan and shattered it in the fire pits of Iraq.
What do the polls reflect on Iraq? That the cost/effectiveness of the operation are way out of balance and McCain ignore's this reality at his own peril.
War and Peace should not be decided by polls, but then you should make up your mind to win in short order so that 2/3s of the American People are against you on this issue.
Iraq need's to be resolved satisfactorily because the American People get frustrated easily in this age of instant communication.
As such an issue, the Republican Party's political health suffer's the longer Iraq fester's and the polls continue to reflect this point.