Bush's numbers, UPDATE

A quick look at that polling data should lead anyone to pause the next time they hear pundits talk about week-to-week shifts in the polls. Even last week's 34% figure from CBS should be taken with a grain of salt. It's pretty clear that the 34% number is an outlier with respect to the broader cloud of data that precedes it. But I should add that any new poll that restores Bush's approval rating to near 40% should also be taken with a grain of salt for essentially the same reason: no one poll can indicate trends in public opinion, even if performed by the same outfit. For example, read this and laugh ... a lot.