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Poll: Most Americans say Bush not honest
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-11 15:49
Most Americans say they aren't impressed by the ethics and honesty of the
Bush administration, already under scrutiny for its justifications for an
unpopular war in Iraq and its role in the leak of a covert CIA officer's
identity.
Almost six in 10 — 57 percent — said they do not think the Bush
administration has high ethical standards and the same portion says President
Bush is not honest, an AP-Ipsos poll found. Just over four in 10 say the
administration has high ethical standards and that Bush is honest. Whites,
Southerners and evangelicals were most likely to believe Bush is honest.
Bush, who promised in the 2000 campaign to uphold "honor and integrity" in
the White House, last week ordered White House workers, from presidential
advisers to low-ranking aides, to attend ethics classes.
The president gets credit from a majority for being strong and decisive, but
he's also seen by an overwhelming number of people as "stubborn," a perception
reinforced by his refusal to yield on issues like the Iraq war, tax cuts and
support for staffers under intense pressure.
More than eight in 10, 82 percent, described Bush as "stubborn," with almost
that many Republicans agreeing to that description. That stubborn streak has
served Bush well at times, but now he is being encouraged to shake up his staff
and change the direction of White House policies.
Concern about the administration's ethics has been fueled by the controversy
over flawed intelligence leading up to the Iraq war and the recent indictment of
Vice President Dick Cheney's top aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, on charges of
perjury and obstruction of justice for his role in the leak of CIA operative
Valerie Plame's name.
That loss of trust complicates Bush's efforts to rebuild his standing with
the public. His job approval rating remains at his all-time low in the AP-Ipsos
poll of 37 percent.
"Honesty is a huge issue because even people who disagreed with his policies
respected his integrity," said Bruce Buchanan, a political scientist from the
University of Texas.
The mandatory White House lectures on ethics for its employees came after the
Libby indictment, and some people say they aren't impressed.
"It's like shutting the barn door after the horse escaped," said John
Morrison, a Democrat who lives near Scranton, Pa.
"This week's elections were just a preview of what's going to happen," he
said, referring to Tuesday's New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races, both
won by Democrats. "People are just fed up."
Some Republicans are nervous about the GOP's political position.
"A lot of elected Republicans are running for the hills in the Northeast,"
said Connecticut GOP strategist Chris DePino after what he called "a waterfall
of missteps" by Republicans. Bush and the GOP must return to their message that
the United States has been safe from terrorism during his administration, DePino
said.
Only 42 percent in the new poll said they approve of Bush's handling of
foreign policy and terrorism, his lowest rating yet in an area that has long
been his strongest issue.
The war in Iraq is at the core of the public's unrest, polling found.
In an AP-Ipsos poll in early October, almost six in 10 disapproved of the way
Bush was doing his job, and Iraq was a dominant factor.
When those who disapproved of Bush were asked in an open-ended question the
top reason, they most frequently mentioned the war far ahead of the second
issue, the economy.
"To use an unfortunate metaphor, Iraq is a roadside bomb in American
politics," said Rich Bond, a former national Republican chairman.
Many of those who approve of Bush's job performance cited his Christian
beliefs and strong values, the second biggest reason for support after backing
his policies.
"I know he is a man of integrity and strong faith," said Fran Blaney, a
Republican and an evangelical who lives near Hartford, Conn. "I've read that he
prays every morning asking for God's guidance. He certainly is trying to do what
he thinks he is supposed to do."
The poll of 1,000 adults was conducted Nov. 7-9 by Ipsos, an international
polling firm, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage
points.
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