President Bush's public support has fallen to its lowest level yet as the latest poll measuring his approval rating at 37 per cent.
About 59 per cent of those surveyed said they disapproved of Mr Bush.
The intensity of disapproval is the strongest to date, with 42 per cent now saying they "strongly disapprove" of how Mr Bush is handling his job - twice as many as the 20 per cent who said they "strongly approve."
A year after his re-election, Mr Bush's second term has been marred by rising US casualties in Iraq, a failed attempt to restructure Social Security, Hurricane Katrina blunders, rising fuel costs and his forced withdrawal of the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers.
Moreover, in a case involving the public naming of a covert CIA operative, Vice President Dick Cheney's former aide, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, pleaded not guilty yesterday in federal court to charges of obstruction of justice, perjury and lying to investigators.
The case casts a continuing cloud over Mr Cheney and keeps President Bush's closest adviser, Karl Rove, in legal jeopardy.
In December 2004, soon after Mr Bush's re-election, 51 per cent approved of his handling of his job, 47 per cent disapproved, and 28 per cent disapproved strongly.
AP