President Bush's job approval rating sank to an all-time low of 42 percent in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, but many other factors could also be adding to the lack of approval, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll from Sept. 11.
Leonard Steinhorn, associate professor of communication, cited Iraq, Katrina, the deficit and debts as major reasons. He also mentioned that the president's approval rating had already been on a steady decline because of Iraq.
The public seems to agree, with only 38 percent of people approving of how the president is handling Iraq. The same poll shows that 44 percent of people approve of how Bush is handling the Katrina aftermath and 40 percent approve of his job with regards to the economy.
"Once the president loses the confidence of the people, that's hard to regain," Steinhorn said. "The question is whether he can do that; there is a definite tipping point that he's at."
President Bush's advisors may also be aware of this, and it could be the reason for the president claiming responsibility for the federal failures after Katrina, according to Steinhorn.
The low approval rating with regard to Katrina coincides with race becoming an issue in the relief effort after the hurricane. According to the Washington Post, six in 10 blacks, versus three in 10 whites, said the problems in New Orleans and elsewhere are because of racial inequality.
"I think that it's that [Bush] just doesn't care," said Chad Robinson, a junior in the School of Public Affairs. "He had nothing to gain"
