Just how bad a President is the chimpster?

But even at that moment of seasonal celebration, Mr Bush's mind was on the events, thousands of miles away, that are dominating his presidency.

"We give thanks for the brave men and women in uniform who are serving our nation," he said. "Many of those who have answered the call of duty will spend this Christmas season far from home, and separated from family. We honour their sacrifice."

There is little prospect of festive joy for Mr Bush on the political front. Indeed, a spate of new opinion polls released on Friday made for sobering reading, even for a president renowned for his indefatigable optimism.
According to one, his job approval rating has slumped to a record low of 30 per cent. The highest any gave him was 37 per cent – well below the 40 per cent figure seen as the benchmark for a president in serious difficulties.

In fact, Mr Bush has been below that for months.

But the record on the economy is mixed. Federal spending has soared during the Bush administration, reaching $2.65 trillion this year (or more than one-fifth of GDP). Mr Bush inherited a budget surplus from his predecessor, Bill Clinton, but swiftly moved into deficit. As a result, national debt has gone from $5.7 trillion to $8.6 trillion, its highest level in history.

"If the president wants a legacy, he must resist the temptation to come to agreements that threaten his tax cuts," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, who said Mr Bush was "very upbeat" when he talked with him at the White House Christmas party on Thursday evening. More on the story.