Rasmussen Reports finds that President Bush's waning support from within his own party is having some seriously deleterious effects on his overall approval ratings.

For the third time in a week, President Bush's Job Approval Rating has fallen to a new low. Just 40% of American adults now approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President.

Overall, 59% of Americans Disapprove of the President's performance including 44% strongly disapprove. Less than half that number, 21%, Strongly Approve. Early in the year, the number who Strongly Approved roughly equaled the number who Strongly Disapproved.

Before this past week, the President's Approval Rating has never dipped below 43% in a Rasmussen Reports poll. It fell to 42% for the first time last Friday, to 41% for the first time this past Wednesday, and to 40% for the first time today.

Among Republicans, the President's Approval Rating has fallen to 71%, the lowest level ever recorded. For most of his time in office, the President's Approval Rating among Republicans has been in the high-80s.

Seventy-one percent approval among Republicans? Even if this number is slightly low -- as I suspect it may be -- it's quite shocking to see so few members of President Bush's own party approving of his actions. Does he make a sharp right turn to bring them back into the fold? And if so, what does this do to his already meager approval rating among independents?