Well, no surprise here that Bush’s speech this week didn’t improve his numbers. His “bite-the-bullet” message hasn’t resonated with the public, who don’t recognize the war in Iraq as a just cause for national sacrifice. Zogby just released its latest poll, which not only shows Bush’s numbers continuing to slip, but discusses how the American public is becoming more inclined to impeach Bush (not a majority, and no Red/Blue agreement, but the issue has traction). Zogby had this to say about his poll results:

“The nation continues to be split down the middle but there appears to be a deep and growing concern about how polarized we are. The President tried to address the situation on the ground in Iraq and hoped to allay the fears of the nation. It looks like that did not happen. Meanwhile, opposition to the war reveals that Americans are just as hostile and intense as they were the day after the 2004 election. The message seems to be pretty clear for Mr. Bush: lay off the partisan rhetoric and work to find compromise solutions.”

I am again reminded of Bush prior to September 11th. He was widely regarded as a divider with bad ideas and no legitimacy. His reelection was merely a spillover result of the terror attacks, and in no way did it give him a mandate. Our president is a lame duck. His honeymoon is over. The same is true for this GOP Congress, which has hitched itself to his coattails. Will this produce a liberal landslide in 2006? It’s starting to feel that way, no?

~The Stuffed Tiger