Americans have a bleaker view of the country's direction than at any time in more than two decades, and sharp disapproval of President Bush's handling of gasoline prices has combined with intensified unhappiness about Iraq to create a grim political environment for the White House and Congressional Republicans, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News Poll.

Mr. Bush's approval rating for his management of foreign policy, Iraq and the economy have fallen to the lowest levels of his presidency. He drew poor marks on the specific issues that have been at the top of the national agenda in recent months — in particular, immigration and gas prices — underscoring the difficulty the administration faces in reversing its political fortunes.

Just 13 percent approved of Mr. Bush's handling of rising gas prices. Only one-quarter said they approved of his handling of immigration, as Congressional Republicans struggle to come up with a compromise to deal with the influx of illegal immigrants into the country.

Overall, Bush's approval rating is 31% -- the lowest ever for Bush in this poll. That ties the 31% scored by Bush the Elder in the fall of 1992, and only Nixon and Carter have scored lower in the Times poll.

They did not score much lower.

Bush has got to hit bedrock soon. A good quarter of the population would stay on his side even if he was photographed on the White House lawn sawing up Laura's corpse with a chain saw, and jamming the parts into Hefty bags. But how strongly that 25% will back him, and for how long, remains to be seen.