Arnold Schwarzenegger Desperate in Attempt to Improve Poll Numbers

11/12/2009, by Proloy Bhatta

HIGHLIGHTS

• PPIC measured Arnolds to be at his lowest all time approval rating.
• Arnold's approval rating has dropped double digits since the beginning of the year.
• A planned visit to Iraq is likely because of his desire to improve his poll numbers.

Published today in the Sacramento Bee is a news blurb about how Arnold "will travel to Iraq early next week to visit U.S. troops for the first time as governor".

This is what Arnold's communications director, Matt Davis, said:

"He's been wanting to visit the troops for the last few years but hasn't had the opportunity to... He thought now would be a good time to make a short trip over there."

A lot of what politicians do has to do with improving their public image and polling numbers. Perhaps he wants to boost his poll numbers by visiting the troops.

Now seems as odd a time as ever to do so because on the same day as this is reported in the Sac Bee, Public Policy Institute releases some very low poll numbers -- his lowest ever. PPIC is one of the most recognized pollsters of local politics in California and they measured his approval rating to be trending downwards since the beginning of the year.

During much of 2004 and 2005, Schwarzenegger's approval rating hovered in the high-50s and low-60s. In much of 2008, it had dipped about 20% to the high-30s and low-40s. But now, his approval rating has dropped all time lows.

This data falls perfectly in line with what The Field Poll has measured in the past.

Are these poor polls the reason why Arnold intends to retire from politics -- as opposed to running against Barbara Boxer for Senate in 2010? Probably. In February, the Field Poll found that Barbara Boxer would beat him handily 54% to 30% -- and his approval rating was double digits higher then than it is now.