The AP reports today that First Lady and librarian Laura Bush is more popular than the President.
Last week in Albuquerque, NM, before the welcoming cheers had subsided, Bush told supporters he was sorry that his wife was not there.
“Today I’m going to give you some reasons why I think you ought put me back in there, but perhaps the most important one of all is so that Laura will be first lady for four more years,” Bush said to applause.
Laura Bush’s prominence and popularity in Bush’s re-election effort will be on display Tuesday night, when the first lady addresses the Republican convention in prime time, her topic Tuesday night, “the compassion of the American people,” reflects the understated tone.
Note to the AP editors: no specific poll was cited to back up the claim “Two-thirds of voters have a favorable view of Laura Bush and 12 percent have an unfavorable view.”
CSMonitor on Laura
The Christian Science Monitor also looks at this “erstwhile campaign wallflower” and her newly political role.
The Monitor also sources its reference to the popularity polls: In the latest Fox News poll, Mrs. Bush scored a higher favorability rating, at 67 percent, than her husband (50 percent), Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (48), his running mate, Sen. John Edwards (49), Sen. John McCain (57), or former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani (59).
Re:CSMonitor on Laura
Well, all I can think of to say is: If Laura is so popular let’s elect her and send her husband packing.
Re: the poll
Somehow I just don’t think that the “latest Fox News poll” samples the widest range of people – though I will say that it’s interesting to see that the Fox folks like Kerry almost as much as they like Bush…. I’d love to know the demographics of these people – can’t help but wonder how many are New Yorkers re the reference to former New York Mayor Giuliani. Unusual set of people as subjects that were rated in this poll, too. What about Mrs. Edwards, Kerry and Giuliani (both or either in this last case)?