WASHINGTON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush's public disapproval rate rose to a level higher than any other presidents in the modern American history, according to a poll released on Thursday.

    The survey by CNN and Opinion Research Corporation suggested that 71 percent of Americans disapprove of how the president is handling his job.

U.S. President George W. Bush speaks during the teachers of the year ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington April 30, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    "This is the first time that any president's disapproval rating has cracked the 70 percent mark," said CNN polling director Keating Holland.

    The previous record of the disapproval rate in CNN or Gallup polling, 67 percent, was set by former President Harry Truman in January 1952 and former President Richard Nixon in August 1974 before he resigned.

    However, the 28 percent of approval rate Bush gained at the latest poll was still higher than the all-time lows set by Truman,24 percent, and Nixon, 24 percent.

    The poll also showed that American public's support for the Iraq war is down to the lowest level with 68 percent opposing the war, which was considered as one of the reasons for Bush's unpopularity.

    Beside the Iraq war, Bush's approval rate was also dragged down by the feeble economy, it added.

    The poll was conducted from Monday through Wednesday among 10,008 Americans, with a sampling error plus or minus 3 percentage points.