Newsweek reports a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds Bush's approval rating at a new low. 60% disapprove of his job performance.

Daily Kos reports:

a Gallup poll out today finds that over 6 in 10 Americans are "critical" of Bush's role in the Plame controversy. Of those polled, 21% believe he did something illegal, 42% think he acted unethically, while 28% say he did nothing wrong.

by TChris

Vice President Cheney, who shot Harry Whittington after mistaking him for a quail, should have learned the consequences of careless hunting when he was "pelted" with a shotgun blast while hunting in the late 1990's.

Cheney wasn't hurt but he was miffed, [Bob] Forrest told the [Albuquerque] Journal.

''He said, 'You guys watch where you're shooting!' He was very offended,'' Forrest said.

A good safety tip from the "offended" Cheney: "Watch where you're shooting!"

Christy at Firedoglake thinks maybe the family squeeze got to DeLay. That's a distinct possibility. Rudy pleaded guilty and one of the concessions was his wife wouldn't be charged. I reported here on the closing of the Alexander Strategy Group and Buckham and on Isikoff's Newsweek piece about it:

The Washington Post has reported that in 2000, Abramoff and Buckham used their credit cards to pay for a trip to the United Kingdom for DeLay and his wife. Investigators are looking into Buckham's connection to DeLay's wife, Christine. She was paid $115,000 over three years by Alexander Strategy Group, a lobbying firm run by Buckham and Rudy, to identify the favorite charities of members of Congress.

TChris has more here.

The Washington Post points out that by resigning now, DeLay can use his campaign funds for legal fees.

Dan Froomkin has a great column today on Andy Card's resignation.

In most White Houses, the chief of staff is a godlike figure, putting his stamp on the presidency in almost every conceivable way. But in the Bush White House, political guru Karl Rove and Vice President Cheney loom much larger and have way more to do with what the president says and does than Card ever did. As long as they stay put, the rest may largely be window dressing.

As for Bolten, he writes:

Our sincere condolences to Senator Robert Byrd.

Emma Byrd died Saturday after a long illness. The Byrds were married 69 years. She was 88.

"Erma and I are complete and whole, a total that is more than the sum of its parts," Byrd said of his wife on their 65th wedding anniversary in 2002. "In my life, Erma Ora Byrd is the diamond. She is a priceless treasure, a multifaceted woman of great insight and wisdom, of quiet humor and common sense."

Emma Byrd, may you rest in peace.

Dick Cheney was on Face the Nation today.

Cheney chuckled when asked if he himself had ever considered resigning amid low poll numbers and suggestions by commentators that he was a liability for the administration.

"It's been a highlight of my career to be a part of this administration," he said. "I've now been elected to a second term, and I'll serve out my term."

Cheney also said no one has suggested to him that he resign. And, he's back to joking about his shooting accident:

Newsweek has released a new poll on President Bush.

President Bush's approval rating has dropped to new lows on domestic issues and public anger is rising over his handling of Iraq and homeland security, according to NEWSWEEK's latest poll. ...His image as an effective leader in the war on terror is tarnished, with less than half the public (44 percent) approving of the way he's handling terrorism and homeland security. Despite a series of presidential speeches meant to bolster support for the war in Iraq, as well as the announcement of a major military offensive when the poll was getting under way, only 29 percent of the people questioned approved Bush's handling of the situation in Iraq. Fully 65 percent disapprove.

What's more, 50% think the Democrats should take control of Congress.

A new poll by the American Research Group finds that 46% of those surveyed favor Sen. Russ Feingold's resolution to censure President Bush for his NSA warrantless electronic surveillance program.

42% favor impeaching Bush. Some conclude that Bush may be losing the Independent voters for good.

42 percent of independents favored censuring Bush, 47 percent of them said they favored impeaching the president.

"Independents are moving beyond Bush, which, in many ways, is the worst thing that can happen to a president," Bennett said. Even with more than half of his second term in the White House still remaining, "he is becoming irrelevant to their lives," the American Research Group pollster added.

Former Attorney General John Ashcroft is now a Washington lobbyist. He's cashing in on his war on terror connections, representing companies that want government contracts. As Danielle Brian, executive director of Project on Government Oversight notes, having spent his career in government service, he has no business experience.

"What is he selling," Ms. Brian asked, "other than connections and knowledge of how to game the system from being attorney general?"

Examples of his clients:

A new CNN-Gallup poll was released this afternoon.

The latest results show only 36% of those polled saying they "approve" of the way Bush is handling his job. Bush's previous low was 37%, set last November.

Sixty percent of those polled said they "disapprove" of Bush's performance. That matches an all-time worst rating hit last November and again two weeks ago.

Democrats now have their larges advantage since 1992. By 55% to 39%, the respondents favored Democrats over Republicans. Let's hope this time the Dems can take advantage of it.

by TChris

Following the president's lead of disregarding inconvenient laws, federal agencies have grown increasingly reluctant to comply with the Freedom of Information Act.

Requests for information ranging from historical records to federal contracts usually take months and sometimes take years to be filled; most departments missed the Feb. 1 deadline to send legally required annual reports to the Justice Department (and many still haven't been submitted) and the Justice Department hasn't produced an annual summary of FOIA reports for two years.

President Johnson's observation when signing FOIA -- "A democracy works best when the people have all the information that the security of the Nation permits" -- is equally apt today.

Actor George Clooney defends being a liberal on Huffington Post. He reminds us there is no shame in being a liberal, in fact, it's a source of pride. It's not just our right to question authority, it's our duty.

For those of us who have been questioning authority our entire adult lives, professionally and personally, Clooney's words are very welcome. I hope some Senators and Congresspersons take his words to heart. Liberal values are American values.