Two, Count ’Em, TWO

[[R A T I N G S]] * When last we checked in on SurveyUSA’s assessments of George W. Bush’s job approval in all 50 individual American states, back in February, the prez could still claim ratings above 50 percent in six of those states: Utah, Idaho, Alabama, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Well, the count has now fallen to a measly two: Idaho and Utah. The approval-disapproval margin in Wyoming is currently 50-49. In Oklahoma, it’s 48-51; while in Nebraska, the spread is 47-51. And only 44 percent of Alabamans turn thumbs up on Bush, while 54 percent rate him negatively. The prez is even bombing in Florida, the state that made sure he got into the White House in the first place.

As Chris Bowers observes at MyDD, “In forty-seven states, Bush has a negative approval rating. In seventeen states, Bush’s disapproval rating doubles his approval rating. In fifteen states, his disapproval rating is lower than any disapproval rating ever achieved [by Richard] Nixon nationally. In eight states, his net disapproval is lower than anything Nixon ever achieved nationally. In Missouri, Bush is at 29-68. Missouri.” Adds The Carpetbagger Report’s Steve Benen, “it’s worth noting that the president is not just doing poorly in otherwise-red states, but also that he’s dropped precipitously of late. His net ratings in states such as Arizona (-13) and Tennessee (-23) have experienced double-digit drops in just the last couple of months.”

Bowers offers maps showing how solidly the United States has turned blue in the little more than two years since Bush’s second, much-protested inauguration. Pretty astounding. But of course, disapproval of the prez doesn’t guarantee that Democrats will be triumphant in the November midterm elections, though in generic polls, Dems currently hold a 19 percent lead over Republican office-seekers.