Poll: Almost half of America would prefer Bush to Obama

File this under “you know it’s getting bad when” (via Ben Smith):

Perhaps the greatest measure of Obama’s declining support is that just 50% of voters now say they prefer having him as President to George W. Bush, with 44% saying they’d rather have his predecessor. Given the horrendous approval ratings Bush showed during his final term that’s somewhat of a surprise and an indication that voters are increasingly placing the blame on Obama for the country’s difficulties instead of giving him space because of the tough situation he inherited. The closeness in the Obama/Bush numbers also has implications for the 2010 elections. Using the Bush card may not be particularly effective for Democrats anymore, which is good news generally for Republicans and especially ones like Rob Portman who are running for office and have close ties to the former President.

Ed Morrissey points to another poll that shows declining approval numbers for Obama (46%), and notes:

The downward decline has picked up speed, too. It may be hard to recall this, but just six- months ago, Obama had a 59% approval rating, with only 31% disapproving. Two months ago, he still had a 50/41 split. It’s worse among independents, though. He’s underwater by 14 points, 37/51, an eleven-point plunge from last month’s 43/46. Six months ago, independents gave Obama a 27-point gap to the good, which means he’s flipped 41 points in just six months among this key group.

Over that same six-month period of time, Obama has had a 37-point flip on the economy, too: he’s 41/54 now, as opposed to 57/33 in June. He’s been underwater for most of that same time on health care, the last three months in double digits, so the 18-point deficit at 38/56 now is more evolutionary than sudden.

The combination of results from various pollsters shows that Obama has entered a free-fall on his approval ratings. Robert Gibbs can blame Gallup all he wants, but these results vindicate Gallup and show that his boss has a real problem. People have begun to realize that this emperor wears no clothes.

Nah – that just means that more people are becoming “raaacists.”