What were Truman's Approval ratings in his last year in office?

[benburch]

A neocon on another board is arguing that he was down to 30% approval, and therefore Bush is really doing OK.

Can anybody point me to that information about Truman?

[Caleb]

1. In 1952, his approval rating was 25%

In March 1952, Harry Truman's approval had been dragged to 25% by the Korean War. Truman won a full term after serving a partial one following Roosevelt's death, but ended his 1952 re-election campaign after losing the New Hampshire primary.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2003-12-26-approval-ratings_x.htm

[benburch]

3. OK.

Never can tell when a Neocon is lying. It pays to check.

[ironman202]

8. usually, their lips are moving

[NewJeffCT]

2. LBJ, Nixon & Carter were all well below Bush

The draft made a huge difference, as now the Army is made up of volunteers. If somebody that was 18-30 years old had to worry about being drafted, you'd see Bush's ratings much lower, too. Then, the parents and grandparents & close relatives would all be worried about young Johnny marching off to war and it would make people wake up.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. Give it a few more months. I have a feeling this one is going to

historic.

[NewJeffCT]

10. It will slowly move downward - but -

I don't think it will get to 30% or below:

1)The RW propaganda machine controls most of the media now. There are no Edward R. Murrows or Walter Cronkites out there to call out a modern day Joe McCarthy or LBJ. There is only so much that Air America, DU, DailyKos, etc can do when compared to Rush, Savage, Hannity, O'Reilly, Fox News, CNN, the Washington Times, etc.

2)All those college Republicans would have been scrambling to protest the war if there was a draft. Nowadays, if the soccer mom & nascar dad don't have to worry about little Johnny being drafted, they won't care that it's some poor inner city kid that gets blown up in his unarmored hummer in Baghdad, or some poor rural kid that got blinded by a roadside bomb in Mosul.

[rinsd]

4. Here's an aricle with a chart for everyone.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2003-12-26-approval-ratings_x.htm

President Last poll taken before election year Job approval rating Outcome
Franklin Roosevelt Dec. 1939 64% Won
Franklin Roosevelt Dec. 1943 66% Won
Harry Truman Dec. 1947 54% Won
Harry Truman Nov. 1951 23% Did not run
Dwight Eisenhower Dec. 1955 75% Won
John Kennedy Nov. 1963 58% Killed Nov. 22, 1963
Lyndon Johnson Dec. 1963 74% Won
Lyndon Johnson Dec. 1967 46% Did not run
Richard Nixon Dec. 1971 50% Won
Gerald Ford Dec. 1975 39% Lost
Jimmy Carter Dec. 1979 54% Lost
Ronald Reagan Dec. 1983 54% Won
George H.W. Bush Dec. 1991 50% Lost
Bill Clinton Dec. 1995 51% Won
George W. Bush Dec. 2003 63%

Sources: Gallup; USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Polls

[safi0]

7. I also think

People were much more Independent minded back then they are now. I don't think we'll ever see Bush lower than high 30's. I believe around 37-38% that's his basement I don't think he can get lower than that.

[Kipling]

11. So, Ford and Truman lowest. Carter and LBJ both higher than Shrubbie.

[rndmprsn]

5. i'm not sure of the % off the top of my head but i know it was low...

as it was considered an upset when he beat dewey becuase of things like the korean war, post-war recession, firing of mcarthur especially even if temporary (picture of truman holding the newspaper announcing his defeat)...but using it as a way to buttress w's faults, only a freeper could make a stretch like that.

[BOSSHOG]

9. BUT WHY WAS HIS POLL NUMBERS DOWN???

That's the question to be asked. Yes they were very low. Because Harry S. Truman supported a form of universal health care for American Citizens. He wanted to help Americans. Republicans hated him for that. bush is lying and getting our kids killed based on his life.

Compare and contrast:

- Universe Health Care - Bad per republicans and conservatives

- Lies and Unnecessary deaths of American Kids - good per republicans and conservatives

I'm sure President Truman was fine and dandy with his poll numbers.

[Jack from Charlotte]

12. I think they were down due to his firing of Gen. MacArthur.....

for his inflamatory comments re China and Korea during The Korean War. Mac was still a big hero from WWII. The Repugs played it to the hilt and Mac might have run for Pres. However, Repugs screwed up when they did televised hearings with Mac. He came off as a rightwing, radical dingbat and lost any chance at political office.

But, again, I think HST's low figures were because he did the right thing and fired General God.

[BOSSHOG]

13. There were many factors which contributed to Harry's

numbers, but I do truly love the man and what he did for us. His treatment is proof that republicans have been scum for years. Interesting that you should bring up the firing of a General. One was recently fired by the Pentagon (surely with bush's approval) and nary a peep from the lemmings.

My father in law was in the Army and landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day. He was a lifelong Democrat and Truman supporter. He once told me he wouldn't waste the energy to spit on a republican. God Bless Him.