From the LA Times:

And what about the American citizens who inundated the U.S. Capitol switchboard with calls of protest? The ones who vented their rage on radio talk shows and propelled a revolt by House Republicans that nearly derailed the proposal? Apparently they like the plan even less now than they did before.

According to a new poll from CNN, 46% of Americans supported the bailout back on Oct. 3. By Oct. 17, that number had dropped to 40%. Likewise, the number who opposed the idea has increased during the same period, to 56% from 53%.

Even more striking was the number — 58% — who think it’s a bad idea for the U.S. government to take an equity share in big companies that are in danger of going out of business. Apparently, Americans think that the rules of the road should apply to Lehman Brothers as well as Joe the Plumber.

As for Hank Paulson, the Treasury secretary who has been putting his department on lock down to come up with a plan to rescue Wall Street, his numbers are not much better than the president’s, clocking in with a 28% approval rating.

Of course both President Bush and his Treasury secretary are still more popular than Congress, which dipped below 20% in a recent Gallup Poll.