President Bush's approval ratings sink faster than the Titanic, with the latest Harris poll describing his 28 percent as an all-time low. One longtime Washington insider has a bleak assessment: "Let me be clear: twenty-eight-per-cent approval of the President, losing every closely contested Senate seat except one, every one that involved an incumbent—that’s a collapse."
Bill Clinton? Nancy Pelosi? Hardly. Try Newt Gingrich.
In the latest issue of the New Yorker, the former House Speaker says "the Bush Administration has become a Republican version of the Jimmy Carter Presidency" and complains "it’s just gotten steadily worse." Gingrich blames "the collapse of the Republican Party" on “not only Iraq and Hurricane Katrina but also Karl Rove’s ‘maniacally dumb’ strategy in 2004."
These are even harsher words than Newt's recent advice to Republicans that they should avoid questions on Iraq and Katrina while campaigning. If Newt Gingrich isn't running for the White House in 2008, he is certainly running away from it.
Letter from Washington [New Yorker]
Bush's Lowest Ratings Worst than Nixon, Carter [WSJ]
Some Background ....
Newt Gingrich Threatens '08 Run [R20]
Hypocritical Gingrich Admits Affair [R20]
Falwell "Praises" Gingrich [R20]
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