LA POPULARIDAD y los porcentajes de aprobación de Bush han subido muy notablemente, según la última encuesta de USA Today y CNN hecha por Gallup:

Americans give President Bush his highest job-approval rating in more than a year and show cautious optimism about Iraq in a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll taken shortly after historic Iraqi elections. According to the poll, health care, education and the economy were the top domestic items considered 'extremely important' for Americans.

In reversals from a month ago, majorities now say that going to war in Iraq was not a mistake, that things are going well there and that it's likely democracy will be established in Iraq. (Related item: Poll results)

Bush's approval rating of 57% is his highest since he reached 59% in January 2004, shortly after U.S. troops captured Saddam Hussein.

[...] The poll shows increased optimism about Iraq on many fronts. Six in 10 people say the elections there went better than they expected.

Other findings:

55% say the United States did not make a mistake sending troops to Iraq, up from 47% last month.

53% say things are going very or moderately well in Iraq, compared with 40% last month.

64% say it is very or somewhat likely a democratic form of government will be established in Iraq, up from 47% last month.

10% say more U.S. troops are needed in Iraq, down from 24% who felt that way before the elections.

50% say they approve of how Bush is handling Iraq, up from 42% last month; 48% say they disapprove, down from 56% last month.

The poll suggests a broadly positive environment for Bush's party. Republicans receive a 56% favorable rating, compared with 46% for Democrats — a 10-point advantage, up from 6 points in September. And 55% say Bush's policies will move the country in the right direction — up from 51% last month.

Aquí están los resultados completos, y aquí la amplia nota-resumen de Gallup.