Poll: Most Americans doubt Bush's honesty

By WILL LESTER, Associated Press
Last updated: 9:16 a.m., Friday, November 11, 2005

WASHINGTON -- Most Americans say they aren't impressed by the ethics and
honesty of the Bush administration, already under scrutiny for its
justifications for an unpopular war in Iraq and its role in the leak of a
covert CIA officer's identity.

Almost six in 10 -- 57 percent -- said they do not think the Bush
administration has high ethical standards and the same portion says
President Bush is not honest, an AP-Ipsos poll found. Just over four in
10 say the administration has high ethical standards and that Bush is
honest. Whites, Southerners and white evangelicals were most likely to
believe Bush is honest.

Bush, who promised in the 2000 campaign to uphold "honor and integrity"
in the White House, last week ordered White House workers, from
presidential advisers to low-ranking aides, to attend ethics classes.

The president gets credit from a majority for being strong and decisive,
but he's also seen by an overwhelming number of people as "stubborn," a
perception reinforced by his refusal to yield on issues like the Iraq
war, tax cuts and support for staffers under intense pressure.

More than eight in 10, 82 percent, described Bush as "stubborn," with
almost that many Republicans agreeing to that description. That stubborn
streak has served Bush well at times, but now he is being encouraged to
shake up his staff and change the direction of White House policies.

Concern about the administration's ethics has been fueled by the
controversy over flawed intelligence leading up to the Iraq war and the
recent indictment of Vice President ***** Cheney's top aide, I. Lewis
"Scooter" Libby, on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for his
role in the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's name.

That loss of trust complicates Bush's efforts to rebuild his standing
with the public. His job approval rating remains at his all-time low in
the AP-Ipsos poll of 37 percent.

"Honesty is a huge issue because even people who disagreed with his
policies respected his integrity," said Bruce Buchanan, a political
scientist from the University of Texas.

The mandatory White House lectures on ethics for its employees came after
the Libby indictment, and some people say they aren't impressed.

"It's like shutting the barn door after the horse escaped," said John
Morrison, a Democrat who lives near Scranton, Pa.

"This week's elections were just a preview of what's going to happen," he
said, referring to Tuesday's New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial races,
both won by Democrats. "People are just fed up."

Some Republicans are nervous about the GOP's political position.

"A lot of elected Republicans are running for the hills in the
Northeast," said Connecticut GOP strategist Chris DePino after what he
called "a waterfall of missteps" by Republicans. Bush and the GOP must
return to their message that the United States has been safe from
terrorism during his administration, DePino said.

Only 42 percent in the new poll said they approve of Bush's handling of
foreign policy and terrorism, his lowest rating yet in an area that has
long been his strongest issue.

The war in Iraq is at the core of the public's unrest, polling found.

An AP-Ipsos poll last week asked people to state in their own words why
they approved or disapproved of the way Bush was doing his job. Almost
six in 10 disapproved, and they most frequently mentioned the war in Iraq
-- far ahead of the second issue, the economy.

"To use an unfortunate metaphor, Iraq is a roadside bomb in American
politics," said Rich Bond, a former national Republican chairman.

Many of those who approve of Bush's job performance cited his Christian
beliefs and strong values, the second biggest reason for support after
backing his policies.

"I know he is a man of integrity and strong faith," said Fran Blaney, a
Republican and an evangelical who lives near Hartford, Conn. "I've read
that he prays every morning asking for God's guidance. He certainly is
trying to do what he thinks he is supposed to do."

The poll of 1,000 adults was conducted Nov. 7-9 by Ipsos, an
international polling firm, and has a margin of sampling error of plus or
minus 3 percentage points.

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On the Web:

Ipsos -- http://www.ap-ipsosresults.com

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