Bush ratings up in state
52% give him high marks in survey after Saddam's capture
By Alexa H. Bluth -- Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Wednesday, January 14, 2004
President Bush's popularity in California is climbing for the first time since September 2001, with a majority of voters now giving him high marks, according to a new Field Poll.
The president's popularity had declined gradually since his approval marks spiked in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the East Coast. But a strengthening economy and slight improvement in California Democrats' impressions of the president are helping revive his approval rating at the start of this re-election year.
The poll, taken after the capture of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, also found that voters are more supportive of Bush's handling of the Iraq war than in past months.
Slightly more than half -- 52 percent -- of registered voters said they approve of Bush's job performance in the survey conducted last week, compared with 46 percent approval in September.
About four in 10 said in the latest poll that they disapprove of the president's performance.
"Most of the fortunes of a president, especially as we approach a re-election year, are generally tied to his handling of the economy," said Mark DiCamillo, Field Poll director.
Indeed, Bush received a 10-point boost in voters' appraisal of his handling of the economy. Roughly half of registered voters said they approve of his job on the economy, compared with 39 percent four months ago.
Bush, who lost the state to then-Democratic Vice President Al Gore in the 2000 presidential race, also received a bump in support from California Democrats.
More than seven in 10 Democratic voters were displeased with Bush's performance in September. According to the new survey, the number has shrunk to six in 10.
"That's not a ringing endorsement, but it's certainly a moderation of their previously critical view," DiCamillo said.
Voters' perception of Bush's handling of the Iraq war also improved, with 51 percent approving and 45 percent disapproving. The numbers signify an 11-point improvement over September.
Republican voters soundly support the president's efforts in Iraq, with eight in 10 approving. Democrats are less sure, with three in 10 approving.
About half of registered California voters said they believe the president made the right decision to go to war with Iraq. A smaller proportion, 43 percent, said the war has been worth its toll in American lives and other costs.
Finally, more California voters are optimistic about the country's future, with 47 percent agreeing that the United States is generally going in the right direction, a three-point improvement over September's appraisal.
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