Look at President Bush. His popularity is so low that he’s got no sway with his own party in Congress.
He’s not the first president to see this kind of popularity deficit. According to the American Presidency Project, four presidents since 1941 have suffered long bouts of low (< 34%) approval ratings:
We The People don’t really ask for much from our Presidents:
- Mind the economy.
- Keep our foreign conflicts (or your scandals) short.
And if you don’t follow those simple rules, your party will pay:
Now you see why McCain has to be a maverick? That’s his best chance at getting a safe distance from Bush’s toxic coattails.
But the real question is, which candidate can address the economy and the foreign conflicts, the key presidential popularity metrics?
I have to agree with Glinda in Wicked, the musical. It’s all about popular.
Jars of Water 