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BUSH: LESS POPULAR THAN STALIN. Whenever I see approval ratings for President Bush, I always think of a Harper's Index stat printed in January of 2006 that compared Bush's popularity among Americans to Stalin's popularity among Russians. Of course, that statistic was printed 18 months ago, when the two ratings were neck-in-neck at 37%.
So a new poll from Strategic Vision (via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) finding Bush's latest rating at a dismal 19% puts our president a far cry below the iconic leader of an oppressive communist regime who systematically murdered millions through forced famines, labor camps, and political purges. Enough said.
--Elisabeth Zerofsky
COMMENTS (11)
He's less popular than the torturer-murderer Che Guevara, too, to judge by most college campuses.
Posted by: Mike G | July 19, 2007 11:26 AM
It should be mentioned that this is a Wisconsin only poll.
Posted by: Alex M | July 19, 2007 11:40 AM
Um, this is kinda apples and oranges, no? It mostly shows that many Russians are clearly nuts.
Posted by: Enrico Palazzo | July 19, 2007 11:43 AM
Even with Madison included, I'd have bet on Stalin topping out around 30%.
Posted by: Mike G | July 19, 2007 11:43 AM
Sorry, but this is just stupid. I assume you were trying for a lighthearted jab, but it came across as clumsy and ill-informed. Not only is it a completely inapt comparison, but as already mentioned above, it's a Wisconsin state poll, not a national poll. This is just embarrassing.
Posted by: PaulB | July 19, 2007 11:55 AM
It mostly shows that many Russians are clearly nuts.
I think this is a bit unfair to the Russians. Stalin did lead their country to victory in WW2, that might cause some people to overlook a lot of negative stuff.
Posted by: cs | July 19, 2007 12:08 PM
Forced famines, labor camps, and political purges?
Let's see, we've got Katrina specifically and melamine poisoning (among other Chinese/other/domestic-USDA/FDA-related food scandals) generally; we've got illegal immigrant sweeps and those Halliburton holding camps; we've got the president speaking only in front of approved audiences and having his Department of Justice *obstruct* justice and firing prosecutors for insufficient partisanship... I was going to say, "I hope that list doesn't give him any ideas!" but I think it's too late for that.
Granted, we don't have the millions of our own people killed by the Administration, but give 'em time, and I'm sure they'll find a way...
Posted by: Chris | July 19, 2007 12:13 PM
People tend to get more popular after they die. Something about speaking ill of the dea.
Posted by: James | July 19, 2007 12:56 PM
To be fair if I were living in Russia under Stalin, I would respond to any poll by saying what a swell guy he is.
Posted by: Fledermaus | July 19, 2007 1:01 PM
Bush and Stalin are still beating John Edwards' approval rating among surveyed TAPPED bloggers.
Posted by: CJR | July 19, 2007 1:40 PM
Chris said: "Let's see, we've got Katrina specifically and melamine poisoning (among other Chinese/other/domestic-USDA/FDA-related food scandals) generally; we've got illegal immigrant sweeps and those Halliburton holding camps; we've got the president speaking only in front of approved audiences and having his Department of Justice *obstruct* justice and firing prosecutors for insufficient partisanship... I was going to say, "I hope that list doesn't give him any ideas!" but I think it's too late for that.
Granted, we don't have the millions of our own people killed by the Administration, but give 'em time, and I'm sure they'll find a way..."
Also let's not forget they both favor show trials, Stalin with the Moscow Show Trials of alleged counter-revolutionaries with "evidence" based upon forced "confessions", and Bush with the "military tribunals" relying heavily on forced "confessions".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Trials
Posted by: Realist | July 19, 2007 5:39 PM