Bush job rating dips, support for war down
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-11 17:44

U.S. President Bush's job approval rating has slipped to a new low and public support for the war in Iraq has declined, according to a poll released on Monday.

U.S. President George W. Bush walks with a football back to the oval office from the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, May 10, 2004, after a ceremony honoring the New England Patriots. Bush's job approval rating has slipped to a new low and public support for the war in Iraq has declined, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll released Monday. [Reuters]

The new poll, with a sampling error of three percentage points, was conducted among 1,003 adults, Friday to Sunday, amid a broadening scandal over abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. troops.

Only 44 percent said they believed the war was worthwhile, in another new low. In a poll taken a month ago, 50 percent said it was worth going to war in Iraq. A year ago, 73 percent said the war was worthwhile.

Fifty-four percent of those polled said the invasion of Iraq was a mistake, and only 41 percent of adults said they believed Bush was doing a good job handling the war.

Bush's handling of terrorism remained his strongest suit, according to the poll.

Fifty-four percent said they approved of his performance in that area. The respondents also said they had more confidence in Bush to handle the situation in Iraq than they did in Kerry, by 48 to 45 percent.

Still, Kerry's rating on that issue rose from 39 percent in a poll conducted in March while Bush's fell from 54 percent.

On a day when Bush voiced strong support for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld against calls for his resignation over his handling of the scandal, the latest poll revealed a country split over how the Pentagon chief has done his job.

Forty-six percent said they approved of Rumsfeld's job performance and 45 percent said they disapproved. But less than a third of those questioned thought he should resign or be fired over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

Some Democrats have called for the secretary to step down over graphic photos of Iraqi prisoner abuse that have inflamed anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world and damaged U.S. credibility.

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