Bush’s Approval Rating on Health Care, Other Issues Drops, Survey Says

Public support for President Bush as a president and an individual has declined, as has his approval rating on issues such as health care, economy and jobs and education, according to a Washington Post/ABC News survey, the Post reports (Morin/Milbank, Washington Post, 2/13). According to the survey, 32% of respondents approved of the way Bush is handling health care issues, 62% disapproved and 6% did not answer or had no opinion (Washington Post/ABC News poll results). Further, according to the survey of 1,003 adults, the public believes that Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) would be "better able" to handle health care, economy and jobs and education issues than Bush. The survey also found that 52% of the public believes that the president is "honest and trustworthy," down seven percentage points since late October, the Post reports (Washington Post, 2/13).