Bush hits highest poll approval in a year

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush scored his highest approval rating in a year with 44 percent in favor in a USA Today/Gallup Poll published Tuesday.

The newspaper cited receding gas prices and Bush's recent emphasis on his administration's fight against terrorism as reasons for the gain.

Scott Reed, a Republican strategist who ran Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign, told USA Today the party's image has improved since Labor Day.

"This has been the best two weeks Republicans have had since Bush was re-elected," Reed said.

Democratic pollster Geoffrey Garin disagreed.

"There's no momentum here," he said. "The story is: Republicans at a standstill."

Still hobbling Bush is the war in Iraq, with 6-in-10 respondents saying he does not have a clear plan for handling the situation. An even great ratio -- two-thirds of those asked -- said the same for Democrats.

The national telephone poll was conducted Sept. 15-17 among 1,003 adults, and has a 3-point margin of error.