Given the growing economic discontent, rising cost of fuel, atop the unpopular Iraq war, Bush's job approval rating has sunk to a new low in latest ABC/Post polls, 29 per cent.
Sixty-eight per cent of Americans now disapprove, the highest in any presidential approval poll dating to Gallup's first in 1938 (surpassing Harry Truman's 67 per cent disapproval and Richard Nixon's 66 per cent), the poll said.
Fifty-four per cent "strongly" disapprove, a new high, dwarfing the 10 per cent who strongly approve. Among other groups, Bush is at record lows in his own party and among conservatives.
Separately, and for the same reasons, a remarkable 84 per cent of Americans who took part in the polls say the country is seriously off on the wrong track, a record high in polls since the early 1970s.
The previous high was 83 per cent in June 1992, the summer before Bush's father lost re-election amid broad economic discontent. It was 82 per cent in May.
More From This Section
Bush is expected to end his two terms as US President on January 20, 2009 when the winner of the November 4 general election- either Republican nominee John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama - will succeed him.
The poll found that 77 per cent of Americans say their president should meet with leaders of hostile foreign nations, rejecting the argument that this could reward their behaviour and make the US look weak. And 63 per cent continue to say the war in Iraq was not worth fighting, with just 38 per cent saying the US is winning there.