Deal or No Deal? Underworked President Makes Tv Joke on $3 Trillion Budget

Final confirmation that George Bush has too much time on his hands came on Monday night. Well into the lame-duck stage of his presidency, with his duties at the White House increasingly minimal, Bush found time to put in an appearance on the popular game show Deal Or No Deal.

Bush, who according to a Gallup poll yesterday became the most unpopular president in US polling history, said he was thrilled to be on the show. "Come to think of it, I'm thrilled to be anywhere with high ratings these days," he said.

It was for a popular cause, in support of a US war veteran taking part in the contest, which has a $1m (about £500,000) prize.

Bush did the recording at the White House last month for airing on Monday night's program, in which he wished Captain Joseph Kobes good luck.

"The show's producers contacted the White House after learning from Captain Kobes that the president is one of his heroes," a White House spokesman, Tony Fratto, said.

The president thanked Kobes, who served three tours of duty in Iraq and received a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart after his truck was blown up, for his "courageous service".

"You and your fellow men and women in uniform are heroes to all Americans whose freedoms you protect," Bush said.

On the show, contestants pick one of 26 briefcases, each of which contains money ranging from a cent to a million dollars. As cases are eliminated from the game, a "banker" offers contestants various amounts to drop out.

Bush told the game-show host, Howie Mandel, that he could use his services in Washington to help balance the federal budget.

"Howie, I don't know if you're free to come to Washington any time soon but I have to reach an agreement with Congress on the federal budget. How'd you like to host a $3 trillion Deal Or No Deal," Bush joked.

Bush's appearance failed to help Kobes. The captain rolled the dice aiming for $750,000 but in the end settled for $26,000.

A USA Today/Gallup poll showed that Bush now has the highest disapproval rating of any president in the 70-year history of the poll. It found 28% of Americans approve of the job Bush is doing, while 69% disapprove. The previous disapproval record of 67% was set by Harry Truman in January 1952 at the height of the Korean war.

While Bush was on the game show, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain were appearing on the World Wrestling Entertainment's popular Monday Night Raw program.