48% of Americans Describe Bush as ‘Honest’

Americans are split almost evenly on whether the word “honest” describes President Bush, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll.

Fifty percent of those surveyed this week said they would not describe him that way, and 48% said they would.

“Whether you agree or disagree with him, the president has taken a pounding on perceptions of his honesty,” said Karlyn H. Bowman, a public opinion analyst at the nonpartisan American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.

In January, 53% of respondents said they’d describe him as honest and 45% said they wouldn’t.

About two-thirds still said they would describe him as “likable” and “strong,” but 56% viewed him as “arrogant,” up from 49% in January.

“He pushes and pushes and pushes until he gets his own way,” said Diane Maley, a nurse and political independent from East Greenbush, N.Y.

“I don’t think he has the best interest of the country in mind,” she said.

For some people, especially Republicans, Bush is personally appealing.

“He’s a man of character,” said Republican Cheryl Cheyney, a school bus driver from Cumming, Ga. “He’s very honest in the things he says. I agree with his belief system, the way he believes in God and is not afraid to show it. That’s very important to me.”

Bush’s overall job approval was at 42%, with 56% disapproving. That’s about where his approval rating has been all summer but slightly lower than it was when the year began. His approval on handling the Iraq war was at 38%.

The poll of 1,000 adults was conducted Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday by Ipsos, an international polling firm. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

Some who don’t approve of Bush’s job performance admire him personally.

“I think he tries to be likable and I think he’s somewhat honest,” said Cindy Bashura, a Democratic-leaning resident of Seymour, Conn. “He tries to do what he thinks is right, but sometimes I think he takes the wrong advice from people in his circle.”

Continuing worries about the Iraq situation may do more than drag down Bush’s standing with the public. They could become a major issue in the 2006 midterm congressional races, and if the war is still going in 2008, the war could be a factor in the presidential race.

The war also could have an effect on more than elections.

“Bush’s standing with the public is a factor in his ongoing effort to influence legislation and to sustain support for his Iraq policy,” said Bruce Buchanan, a professor of government at the University of Texas. “The honesty dip is partly caused by a loss of faith in his credibility on Iraq.”