Who IS this 18% who "Strongly Approve" of the President's Performance?

Correct. As a sociologist, I've been able to identify three groups who seem to compose the majority of that 18%:

1) A small number of wealthy (and white) leaders, both in business and religion. Generally speaking these are not particularly ethical--for instance, among the largest subgroups here are the employers who continue to block immigration reform because they are profiting off the illegal status of their workers.

2) Some (again, mostly white) middle-class people who form the financial backbone of the "religious right." These are the latter day version of the Southern middle-class whites who profited most under the old "Jim Crow" South--and are equally bigoted. They also comprise the leadership of antisocial groups like the KKK and the Minutemen.

3) A majority are poorly educated rural whites who (unlike the other two groups) are basically decent people, but who lack the education to sort out the admittedly confusing political/religious propaganda and are vulnerable to being manipulated and misled by the other two groups.

They are sheep who blindly follow fearless leader. They listen to hate radio and regurgitate what they are told like good little zombies. But we need a loyal opposition to keep things interesting. I heard somewhere from some expert on political polls that even if a politician could be proven beyond any doubt to be the worst the world has ever seen there would still be about 13 to 18 percent of the population that would still support him. This is especially true if he is still in office. The popularity drops after he's out of office. Maybe it is an office loyalty thing or something. So if the pundit is right it looks like Dubya is right there where he would be expected to be.

Contrary to YOUR opinion, which, I might add is just an opinion, that 18% MAY be more realistic than you. When you start believing the left wing blogs and the left wing major TV outlets, that will tend to make you wrong about things.Think about it, the economy has been fabulous for most of his time in office, we have been hit by one terrorist attack which set off the "war on terror" and as a commander-in-chief, I can only show you what one high ranking general had to say about him:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::NewsMax: Let's talk about President Bush's leadership traits. You have consistently complimented the Commander-in-Chief, calling him a "true leader."

Gen. Franks: I commented that way while I worked for George W. Bush and I still comment in that fashion. I think it takes a variety of things ... when we think about whether our presidents have been great leaders or good leaders or not very good leaders.

I think that there are a couple of interesting ingredients - one is just what you see every day. We see constant dialogue on our television sets, and in the newspapers we read every day about the views as to whether this president is a good president or bad president. But I think historians have a much more in-depth approach.

As we go through history and people look at the present administration, the factor that will always play into it is the context within which this president had to lead the country. You and I both know, if you think about the events of 9/11 and this attack on America, that is a heck of a context within which a president serves his country, and in my view George W. Bush has done the job with honesty and integrity.

As I have told a great many people, I am neither Democrat nor Republican. In fact, I am a registered Independent. I have been so and foresee that I will stay that way. But I do respect the work that this president has done during a very, very difficult period of American history.

NewsMax: I had the privilege of interviewing Richard Perle a couple of weeks ago and we got on the same leadership failure discussion. He said that some of Bush's advisors failed the president. He got bum advice and acted on it. Is that the case, in your opinion?

Gen. Franks: I don't think so. Knowing George W. Bush as I know him, and I would say that I know him pretty well, I never saw the President steam-rolled. There is a lot of media speculation that the advisers all got together and pushed one agenda or another and I simply did not see that to be the case.

I found the mind of George W. Bush to be very curious, and intellectually demanding. He did not want his people to line up to say, "oh yes, we should take this course of action," but rather to have people argue for various courses of action.

I found him to be not only studious but very thoughtful as I watched him carefully factor in everything that he was told and make decisions.

:

I am part of this 18%. I have access to several sources of media, attend a four year college, and I am very in touch with reality. What I am not, is pleased with liberal scum trying to tell me that I am not in touch with reality, or trying to tell me that I am an idiot when I am not. I support the president 100%, believe that he has done a great service to our great nation, and I believe that history will show him to be one of the greatest presidents of the past. Unfortunately, many liberals seem to be clouding his successes with what they seem to think are failures, but I assure you that history will recognize president Bush's service to this country. Liberals are just mad because they lost the presidency twice, and they will be even more angry when they lose the presidency again.

The same 18% of the population who have a below 50 IQ.

No but they do have access to computers. Just read some of the off-the-wall questions and answers!

people who watch too much of the fox news propoganda channel

Maybe his family mainly out of pity.

People who form their own opinions rather than simply accepting the opinions of the media and of liberal text books as their own.

~from an 18%er

They must be the illegal aliens who are waiting for amnesty.