Bush Can't Make the Sale

"Many would like Congress to assert itself on Iraq, and about half of poll respondents said congressional Democrats have done 'too little' to get Bush to change his war policy. . . .

"Bush's overall approval rating equals its all-time low in Post-ABC News polls at 33 percent, with 65 percent disapproving. Fifty-two percent said they 'strongly' disapprove of his job performance, the highest figure of his presidency and more than three times the 16 percent who strongly approve.

Some highlights from the poll results, in order of increasing popularity:

* 55 percent support legislation that would set a deadline for withdrawing U.S. forces by next spring.

* 59 percent agree that the United States should withdraw its military forces from Iraq in order to avoid further U.S. military casualties, even if that means civil order is not restored there.

* 62 percent think Congress -- not Bush -- should have final say in deciding when to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq.

* 65 percent support creating new rules on troop training and rest time that would limit the number of troops available for duty in Iraq.

* 74 percent support changing the primary mission of U.S. forces in Iraq to supporting and training the Iraqi Army, rather than directly fighting insurgents.

* 75 percent think the surge has either not made much difference or has made things worse.

* 78 percent think Bush is not willing enough to change his administration's policies in Iraq.

And here are some similar findings from a new New York Times poll:

* 63 percent think Congress should only allow funding for the war on the condition that the U.S. sets a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops (another 8 percent think Congress should block funding altogether.)