Bush strategist frets over poll decline

WASHINGTON, May 18 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush's chief campaign strategist is concerned with Bush's record low approval ratings, the Washington Times said Tuesday.

Citing a Gallup poll that shows Bush's approval rating at 46 percent, strategist Matthew Dowd said the election could be decided by a relatively small shift in support.

"I have no idea where it will end up, but all the president's numbers have to move is plus or minus five or six ... which can easily happen, because of events," he said. "If his approval numbers move above 50, it's very difficult to lose. If his numbers move below 40, it's very difficult to win."

Meanwhile, White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett, citing a Newsweek poll that pegs the president's approval rating at 42 percent, emphasized the same survey shows Bush actually improving his position against presumed Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

"Their last poll had us down by 7 and now we're down by 1 in it," Bartlett said, adding polls are merely a snapshot in time. "And the snapshot right now is one of very troubling pictures from the (Baghdad) prison abuse fallout, as well as difficult fighting that is taking place on the ground in Iraq."