President Bush said last night the Iraq war was "straining the psyche" of Americans and conceded it would be a major issue in November Congressional elections.
Mr Bush, whose approval ratings in some polls have been pushed to the lowest of his presidency mostly due to the unpopular war in Iraq, acknowledged the fighting was taking a toll both on him and the American people.
"Sometimes I'm frustrated, rarely surprised. Sometimes I'm happy. But war is not a time of joy. These aren't joyous times, they're challenging times and they're difficult times and they're straining the psyche of our country, I understand that," Mr Bush said.
He also said he would not campaign for the Republican candidate in Connecticut where Senator Joseph Lieberman lost the Democratic primary earlier this month - largely because of his support for the Iraq war.
Mr Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate, is now running as an independent to keep his Senate seat and led in a poll last week against the Democratic candidate, anti-war businessman Ned Lamont. The White House has declined to endorse the Republican challenger, Alan Schlesinger.
A CNN poll released yesterday showed Mr Bush's approval rating remains weak despite a two-point increase since a poll conducted in early August. CNN said its latest poll showed 42 per cent of Americans approve of the job Mr Bush is doing, compared to 57 per cent who disapprove of his handling of the presidency.
A new USAToday/Gallup Poll also put Mr Bush's approval rating at 42 per cent, the highest level in six months for that survey.