Bush Poll Numbers Improving Despite Media's Best Efforts

After seeing his poll numbers drop to all-time lows following the relentless attacks by the Dems and the media, the president's numbers are starting to make a healthy rebound. The media is not very happy about that. Look how the NY Times begins its article on the poll numbers:

After months of political erosion, President Bush's approval rating improved markedly in the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll, largely tracking Americans' more positive attitudes toward the economy.

But his presidency is still plagued by widespread doubts about his handling of the war in Iraq, with 52 percent of poll respondents saying the Bush administration intentionally misled the public when its officials made the case for war. A majority of Americans want the United States to set some timetable for troop withdrawal; 32 percent want the number of American troops reduced, and 28 percent want a total pullout.

The Times wants to give all the credit for the higher numbers to the economic news, but that's only part of the picture. They're still trying to beat the drum on Iraq to make it look as bad as possible, but sadly for them, the Dems have decided to go completely nuts, and if there's anything helping the Bush numbers, it's the crazy Dems.

Now that the president has decided to start making his case in speech after speech, the Dems have resorted to all sorts of incoherent press conferences and demands for immediate surrender. This is not playing well with the electorate. The Dems even held an emergency meeting in Washington yesterday to try and figure out what they believe, but still came out with more positions than a yoga instructor.

The Washington Post had an article yesterday about how some Dems are starting to realize that their bipolar positions on Iraq are hurting them:

Strong antiwar comments in recent days by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean have opened anew a party rift over Iraq, with some lawmakers warning that the leaders' rhetorical blasts could harm efforts to win control of Congress next year.

Several Democrats joined President Bush yesterday in rebuking Dean's declaration to a San Antonio radio station Monday that "the idea that we're going to win the war in Iraq is an idea which is just plain wrong."

The critics said that comment could reinforce popular perceptions that the party is weak on military matters and divert attention from the president's growing political problems on the war and other issues. "Dean's take on Iraq makes even less sense than the scream in Iowa: Both are uninformed and unhelpful," said Rep. Jim Marshall (D-Ga.), recalling Dean's famous election-night roar after stumbling in Iowa during his 2004 presidential bid.

The economy is roaring, and that will certainly accrue to the benefit of the administration, but things are getting better every day in Iraq, and that will have a dramatic impact on voters...assuming they get to hear the good news.