Demagogue

The Washington Post reports:

President Bush's approval rating has surged in recent weeks, reversing what had been an extended period of decline ... according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News Poll.

Bush's overall approval rating rose to 47 percent, from 39 percent in early November, with 52 percent saying they disapprove of how he is handling his job. His approval rating on Iraq jumped 10 percentage points since early November, to 46 percent ...

Anytime a president raises his approval ratings, the White House and its allies are understandably pleased.

But the uptick in Bush's numbers is made less significant by this detail from the Post story:

Bush's pre-Christmas rebound was fueled largely by a sharp increase in support among his core supporters. In the past month, the proportion of Republicans approving of the president's performance rose 9 percentage points, to 87 percent. And among conservatives, three in four said Bush was doing a good job, up 12 points from November. Among Democrats, independents and moderates Bush's support remained unchanged or increased only modestly.

Where independent and moderate voters go, in the end, usually determines whether a White House can move its agenda or not.