ODS Pushback: Americans Really Dont Miss President Bush
It’s been a persistent wingnut meme that Americans miss Bush. Not a surprise; wingnuts were in denial all along about Bush’s approval ratings and what this foretold about Nov 2008. It’s a way of continuing in denial about the election itself, much like nirther fantasies and continuing wingnut fantasies that Americans don’t really like Obama.
In recent months, not only have conservatives continued to ramp up their anti-Obama rhetoric, but they have also begun invoking nostalgia for the good ol’ days of President Bush. In April, College Republicans at Western Kentucky University created a “W” Day to show support for Bush, and there have been billboards with the question “Miss Me Yet?” and a picture of Bush popping up around the country.
Last month, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) hit Obama for his handling of the BP oil disaster, saying, “Remember the criticism George Bush got during Katrina? They said it was a lack of leadership. Let me tell you, that leadership looks pretty good right now.” More recently, Jeff Shapiro — a man devoted to “correct the historical record about President Bush” — wrote an op-ed claiming that “a lot has changed since” last year, when he was being labeled a “failure.”
IIn reality, not much has changed; the American public still doesn’t really miss Bush. From a new Time poll:
– 71 percent blame the Bush for the “balky economy,” while 27 percent blame Obama.
– 53 percent favor Obama over Bush (33 percent).
– 55 percent favor Obama over Sarah Palin (34 percent) in a hypothetical 2012 presidential campaign.
Many links in the Think Progress piece, including to the Time report itself, and also a little gem involoving a poll of presidential scholars.