LA TImes poll

One of the things that has been talked about almost incessantly in the shwodown between the White House and Congress over the funding bill is that EVERY pundit on TV has reminded us that the American people want Congress to "support the soldiers", and the last time there was a funding showdown, Congress lost and Bill Clinton became even more popular.

I maintain that everything is different now.

Not just because there is a growing section of the American people who just want to pull out of Iraq. Not just because Bill Clinton was already popular when he and Congress had their budget showdown. Not just becaiuse the showdown with Clinton was about funding for National Parks and Republican Senator's pet projects. Not just because Clinton was a MASTER of getting the American people on his side of an issue.

It's because when Bush throws one of his tantrums, most people now see it for what it is. Unfettered arrogance and an unwillingness to consider anything other than getting his way. Bush is probably the most profoundly uppopular President in recent memory (I'd wager he is more unpopular than Nixon was, polls notwithstanding) and when it comes to working with the public, he fails. The more he campaigned on his Social Security plan, the less popular it got. The more he pulls the Iraq/9-11 card (as he did two weeks ago infront of a backdrop of soldiers), the more people see it as sheer pandering.

But, there really hasn't been anything that says if he does refuse to even TALK to Congress about a pull-out in Iraq and tries to pull a power struggle, he'd lose. Here's the poll that hints he might, and the relevant question is about halfway down the page. It says that people favor witholding funding until Bush sets a deadline for troop withdrawl by 45% to 43%.

If I were working in the White House, this poll would be very bad news. Yes, there is only a 2% difference between the two sides, but Bush has shown that the more he pushes something, the less popular it becomes...and with FOX News's ratings falling faster than Don Imus's job prospects, the only Bully in Bush's Bully pulpit is Cheney threatening nuclear attack if they don't get their way.