If Kerry had won, what would his approval rating be right now?

[nini2287]

I would guess around 44%.  I think he would have done a better job w/Katrina, but Republicans would be getting on his case about SC picks (of which he would probably pick liberal ideologues) and him possibly suggesting some form of troop withdrawal from Iraq.

[Erc]

I would guess around 44%.  I think he would have done a better job w/Katrina, but Republicans would be getting on his case about SC picks (of which he would probably pick liberal ideologues) and him possibly suggesting some form of troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Who's to say he would have had picks?

Rehnquist probably would have tried to retire early and get a lame duck appointment in--and O'Connor might not have retired at all.

[nini2287]

I would guess around 44%.  I think he would have done a better job w/Katrina, but Republicans would be getting on his case about SC picks (of which he would probably pick liberal ideologues) and him possibly suggesting some form of troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Who's to say he would have had picks?

Rehnquist probably would have tried to retire early and get a lame duck appointment in--and O'Connor might not have retired at all.

I think the Democrats would probably be able to filibuster Rehnquist's appointment until Kerry was sworn in.  You might be right about O'Connor, but if the real reason she retired is to be with her sick husband, then she probably would have retired anyway (whether she would try to get in under Bush as a lame duck or not, I don't know).

[Peter]

Who's to say he would have had picks?

Rehnquist probably would have tried to retire early and get a lame duck appointment in--and O'Connor might not have retired at all.

Stevens would have retired I suspect.

[© tweed]

mid-40s

I very much doubt he've had been re-elected, he only did as well as he did because he wasn't Bush.

[Erc]

He [Stevens] is still in good health--unless he feared a major Democratic loss in the midterms [definitely possible if Kerry proved unpopular]

[Defarge]

mid 40's, continuing to slide.  Midterms would be a disaster.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It'd be as bad as Bush's... maybe worse... I can imagine his response to Katrina now *shudders*.
Mid-Terms would see the worst Democratic defeat since the '20's (in real terms not technically).

[Jake]

No clue as much of what happened could easily have not happened.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

No clue as much of what happened could easily have not happened.

There would still have been a hurricane and the President would still have acted in a distinctly French manner

[PBrunsel]

Probabaly about 42-44%. The American people wopuld probabaly cut him some slack seeing how he would be "new to the job" and all. Also, it could be stated that he was, "Cleaning up a mess he din't make."

[Defarge]

If Kerry had won, ALL of the blame for Katrina would be on Democrats, thus his approval would be QUITE low.

Kerry wouldn't have appointed a horse racer head of FEMA.  Kerry wouldn't have had only one FEMA official in New Orleans when Katrina hit.  Kerry wouldn't have simply in his ranch while thousands suffered.

[Yates]

I would say around 44-45% for the reasons PBrunsel gave.

[YRABNNRM]

If Kerry had won, ALL of the blame for Katrina would be on Democrats, thus his approval would be QUITE low.

Kerry wouldn't have appointed a horse racer head of FEMA.  Kerry wouldn't have had only one FEMA official in New Orleans when Katrina hit.  Kerry wouldn't have simply in his ranch while thousands suffered.

You say this with so much certainty.

[Jake]

Kerry wouldn't have appointed a horse racer head of FEMA.  Kerry wouldn't have had only one FEMA official in New Orleans when Katrina hit.  Kerry wouldn't have simply in his ranch while thousands suffered.

Of course. Kerry would've screwed up in other situations. Though you and I both know he wouldn't have appointed the most qualified person to head FEMA anyway.

[Defarge]

Kerry wouldn't have appointed a horse racer head of FEMA.  Kerry wouldn't have had only one FEMA official in New Orleans when Katrina hit.  Kerry wouldn't have simply in his ranch while thousands suffered.

Of course. Kerry would've screwed up in other situations. Though you and I both know he wouldn't have appointed the most qualified person to head FEMA anyway.

Won't disagree with that, which is why I put Kerry in the mid to lower 40's at this point.

But he would have handled it better than Bush.  Considering how badly Bush did, I'm sure you or I could have done better.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

There is no possible way he could've handled Katrina worse than Bush. Only a complete partisan hack could think that's even possible.

[ATFFL]

If Kerry had won, ALL of the blame for Katrina would be on Democrats, thus his approval would be QUITE low.

Kerry wouldn't have appointed a horse racer head of FEMA.  Kerry wouldn't have had only one FEMA official in New Orleans when Katrina hit.  Kerry wouldn't have simply in his ranch while thousands suffered.

Whoever he appointed would still be settling into the office.  Could be that they would not even know the proper procedures yet.

Which might actually be a good thing.

[Q]

If Kerry had won, ALL of the blame for Katrina would be on Democrats, thus his approval would be QUITE low.

Kerry wouldn't have appointed a horse racer head of FEMA.  Kerry wouldn't have had only one FEMA official in New Orleans when Katrina hit.  Kerry wouldn't have simply in his ranch while thousands suffered.

You say this with so much certainty.

Yes; Kerry doesn't have a ranch.  A mountain home or two, perhaps.

[Smash255]

52% Approve 37% Disapprove 11% Undecuded

Katrina would have been handled quite a bit better, some talk of a plan of bringing troops home (though not an immediate withdrawel) would give him more credability on Iraq than Bush currently has.  Also the gas price problems which helped bring Bush down wouldn't be as bad as Kerry because he would not be seen as close to the oil industry the way Bush & Cheney is