W Still Thinks He Has Political Capital

[Nbadan]

Dubya ought to check his account again

(CNN) -- President Bush said in a Tuesday interview that he wasn't concerned about his low approval ratings, and he discussed how he told Vice President Cheney, who was shaken by his hunting accident earlier this month, to "share it with the American people."

"If I worried about polls, I wouldn't be doing my job," Bush told ABC's Elizabeth Vargas in the interview, which aired on "World News Tonight."

The president's approval rating dropped to 34 percent in a CBS News poll released Monday. CNN/USA Today/Gallup polls taken since October have put his approval ratings in the high 30s to mid-40s.

"I fully understand that when you do hard things, it creates consternation at times," Bush said. "I've been up in the polls, and I've been down in the polls -- it's just part of life in the modern era. I think the American people -- I know the American people want somebody to stand on principle, make decisions and stand by them and lead this world toward a more peaceful tomorrow, and I strongly believe we're doing that. And I enjoy it. It's a fantastic opportunity."

He also said he feels he has "ample capital" despite his sagging polls.

CNN




Can you say, lameduck?

[Oh, Gee!!]

Xray to remind us that he's not up for re-election in 5.....4.....3.....2.......1.....

[Nbadan]

Denial isn't just a river in Africa...

BUSH: I don't buy your premise that there's going to be a civil war. There's no question that the bomber of the mosque is trying to create sectarian violence, and there's no question there was reaction to it. On the other hand, I had the duty, which I did, to call these leaders, Shi'a and Sunni leaders, as well as Kurdish leaders.



And the response was that we understand this is a moment that we've got to make a choice if we're going to have sectarian strife or whether or not we're going to unify. And I heard loud and clear that they understand that they're going to choose unification, and we're going to help them do so.

ABC News