Define "Soaring" Please

Bush's Approval Ratings Soar Despite Troubles At Home

The man has a 48% approval rating. They mention that in the first paragraph. It's practically half what he had right after 9/11. Is this insanity, incompetence, or just a hack at work?

I'll grant you that it is a college paper and that the quality may be a bit lower than what you typically expect from a news source. But really, come on..."soaring."