Everybody Hates Washington

President Bush may have historically low approval ratings, but at least he has this on his side: He's heading what may be only the second-most-unpopular branch of government after Congress, which has surpassed the president in Gallup Poll approval ratings only once since the Democrats took over in January. (Figures for the judicial branch were not available.)

New Gallup poll numbers out today put Bush at 33 percent over Congress's 29 percent job approval. A side-by-side comparison by News Desk of Congress's job approval over the past year, as compiled by PollingReport.com, with the corresponding presidential rating from the same survey, shows Congress surpassing Bush in popularity only once, in early February, when the Democratic-led body was riding a honeymoon of support after the change in party control. It didn't last.

--Chris Wilson