More Americans Trust Congress Over Bush on Iraq, Poll Finds

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By Jon Cohen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, February 26, 2007; 10:20 AM

Congressional Democrats still hold a sizeable advantage over President Bush in who the public trusts to handle the Iraq war, although the gap has narrowed somewhat since Bush's State of the Union speech, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

With Bush's approval ratings mired by the unpopular war, Americans trust congressional Democrats over Bush to handle the situation in Iraq by a 54 percent to 34 percent margin. That is down from a 27-point gap before the president's address last month. Since that time, trust in the Democrats on the issue has slipped six points. That has not been matched by increasing confidence in Bush, but by a five point rise in the number who trust neither the Democrats in Congress nor the president on the issue. There has also been an eight point decline in the Democrats' advantage among independents.

Although trimmed, the Democrats maintain a substantial edge on the war in large measure because of Bush's low ratings on handling the situation in Iraq. Two-thirds of Americans disapprove of how the president is handling the Iraq war; 31 percent approve. And intensity continues to run against Bush on the issue: Fifty-five percent "strongly disapprove" of his work there, while only 17 percent "strongly approve" of it.

Bush's ratings on Iraq continue to be highly partisan. While two-thirds of Republicans approve of how Bush is handling the situation in Iraq, more than nine in 10 Democrats disapprove of the job he is doing there. Among independents, 31 percent approve and 68 percent disapprove. Intensity is also a factor here: Eighty-three percent of Democrats strongly disapprove of Bush's performance on the Iraq issue, while far fewer Republicans, 38 percent, strongly approve.

The war also remains the biggest drag on the president's overall approval rating. In this poll, 36 percent approved of the way Bush is handling his job, 62 percent disapproved. Bush's approval rating has increased marginally from five weeks ago, when it matched his career low of 33 percent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/26/AR2007022600313_pf.html


Poll Data, Monday, Feb. 26, 2007
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_022607.htm