Was Lincoln's Approval Ever Really Lower Than Bush's?

Question

I have heard a lot of very foolish conservatives try to defend Dubya by saying that Lincoln's approval was very low during his time in office. They use this to say that Bush will be remembered as one of the great presidents. They never show any evidence, but say it is true. Obviously he wasn't well-liked in the states that seceeded from the union, but I haven't seen anything that says ONLY 30% of the people nation-wide (at least the Union states) supported him. Does anyone have any more info? I do realize this might be kind if difficult because Gallup and his polls didn't come about until the 40s and 50s.

Answer 1

Since there were no substantive polls similar to Gallup back then it would be difficult to say. One wonders what Lincoln's numbers would look like today, however as the comparison of Bush to Lincoln is far from foolish:

Civil Rights abuse:
Lincoln suspended habeus corpus and imprisioned suspected Confederate sympathizers for years without charge or hearing. Ironically, Ft. McHenry--the site of the Star Spangled Banner--was the "Gitmo" of that period.

Ties to Christian Extremists:
Many Republican moderates thought the Emancipation Proclimation was too great a risk, fearing that it would fuel anti-war advocates that accused them of extremism. Evangelical Christians were the driving force behind abolition at that time.

Military Incompetence:
The Union army, vastly superior in numbers and equipment, faced one embarassing defeat after another during the early stages of the war. The tide did not turn until commanders like U.S. Grant adopted Lincoln's policy of "total war." Even in victory, the Union suffered casualties in the thousands. Northern newspapers vilified "Lincoln the butcher" for sacrificing so many young lives "in vain."

Intelligence:
Lincoln was routinely portrayed in anti-war Northern newspapers as an uneducated ape-man with a poor vocabulary.

Diplomacy:
Lincoln was roundly criticized by moderate Northerners for refusing to negotiate with the South throughout the war. When Lincoln ended the practice of trading POWs, he was condemned for abandoning his own soldiers in the hands of the enemy.

There are more, but in the long run only History will judge Bush. If the South had won or if McClellan and the Democrats had won the 1864 Presidential election, Lincoln's place in history would be decidedly different.

Answer 2

I don't think Lincoln was that unpopular.

Harry Truman 22 percent in 1952, Richard Nixon 23 percent in 1974, Jimmy Carter 28 percent in 1979 in Gallup polls

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/PollVault/story?id=1968029

Answer 3

Exactly. They didn't have polls. But anyone who thinks that an underqualified, reckless extremist whose every policy has been a disaster will be thought of more highly in the verdict of history has taken partisanship and optimism to psychotic levels. Bush is, by far, the worst ever.

Answer 4

Given the grave subject concerns that have been dealing with the country on the time, it sort of feels trivial and out of order to be so afflicted via one guy or woman's insult. yet, it grew to become into probable real that it grew to become into the backside factor of his presidency. He wanted to be enjoyed, he wanted to be perceived as being honest and robust and on top of issues, yet that attractiveness wasn't happening. Kanye West's blunt remark approximately him being a racist after typhoon Katrina grew to become into the scent-the-coffee 2d wherein the certainty of his public attractiveness grew to become into in his face....and consistent with danger he felt scared, in over his head.

Answer 5

Bush doesn't deserve to be compared to the likes of Lincoln.

Herbert Hoover or Richard Nixon would be more like it.

Answer 6

I'm guessing his approval rating in the South wasn't very high.

Answer 7

Lincoln got shoot

Answer 8

maybe, but i think Truman's was lower.

Answer 9

did thy have polls then