It's comments like this, that scare me

[Johnny Stew]

(The comment I find worrisome is in bold.)

AP Poll: Bush, Kerry Still in Close Fight
By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - President Bush has spent about $40 million in campaign ads in recent weeks aimed at defeating Democrat John Kerry, but the president has problems of his own: growing doubts about Iraq and worries about the economy. The two remain locked in a very close presidential race, an Associated Press poll found. Bush was backed by 45 percent of voters and Kerry by 44 percent in the poll conducted for the AP by Ipsos-Public Affairs.

Independent candidate Ralph Nader had 6 percent support. The numbers are essentially unchanged from AP-Ipsos polls taken in early and mid-March.

In one development that is potentially troublesome for Bush, a growing number of people think the Iraq situation is making the threat of worldwide terrorism worse.

Asked whether the military action in Iraq has increased or decreased the threat of terrorism around the world, half in the poll, 49 percent, said it has increased the threat, while 28 percent said it has decreased the threat. The number of people who thought the Iraq situation increased the terrorism threat grew slightly from Monday through Wednesday at a time that television news was showing the sharply increasing violence in Iraq.

In a mid-February AP poll, Americans were evenly divided on the effects of military action in Iraq, with 38 percent saying it had increased the terror threat and the same number saying the threat had decreased.

The new poll found that 41 percent approve of Bush's performance on foreign policy issues and 51 percent approve of his handling of the war on terrorism. His standing with the public on those issues has dropped since January.

"I would like if there was a better challenger for Bush," said Justin Tucker, a 21-year-old college student from Prosser, Wash., who supports the president. "I just don't believe in ripping the president out of office during a war on terror — especially to replace him with Kerry. Who knows what Kerry's going to do?"

Despite a government report showing the nation's payrolls in March posted their biggest gains in four years, public confidence in the economy also has slipped over the last month. That measure was affected by growing concern about job security, local business conditions and possibly by international turbulence.

The public's view of Bush's handling of the economy was unchanged since March after signs last week that the jobs picture is improving. More than half in the poll, 53 percent, disapproved of Bush's handling of the economy.

Growing fears about the situation in Iraq and doubts about Bush's handling of domestic and foreign issues have not helped Kerry to this point. Bush generally gets higher marks than Kerry on handling of foreign policy and terrorism, despite the recent decline in his own ratings.

"If he had let a west Texas boy run that war, it would be over by now," said Robert DeWoody, a 61-year-old independent from Odessa, Texas, who supports Bush. DeWoody disputed any suggestion that Bush is a Texan. "He lived here a little while, but he doesn't have the west Texas mentality."

The poll comes after both sides have spent more than $60 million on advertising in swing states, including an estimated $40 million by Bush's re-election campaign. Bush's ads depict Kerry as a politician who flip-flops on the issues, while many Kerry ads criticize Bush's handling of the economy.

While the public may have doubts about Kerry, the view of Bush remains lukewarm.

Bush's overall job approval was at 48 percent, with 50 percent disapproving — basically unchanged from a month ago.

Count Amerilis Patillo, a 75-year-old Chicago Democrat, among those who disapprove of Bush.

"I don't like what the little shrub is doing on Iraq," she said. "If the Supreme Court doesn't select Bush this time, then Kerry will get in."

The AP-Ipsos poll of 1,001 adults, including 758 registered voters, was taken April 5-7. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, slightly larger for registered voters.

[Johnny Stew]

"I just don't believe in ripping the president out of office during a war on terror."

As I've said before, I find it really frightening that people are so convinced that Bush is the only person who can be effective against terrorism, that they'd rather allow him to have another four years of an otherwise un-productive presidency.

I really wish John Kerry would start talking more forcefully about what HE'D do to prevent further acts of terrorism, so that he can show people that Bush is not the only answer, and so that he can asuage fears that he'd be weak in the war on terrorism.

I also wish that people would start looking at the broader picture, and not just at the fact that Bush knows how to send our troops off to war.

[chiliD]

Are there any of Nostradamus' quatrains that has the word "Buisson" in them? (in relation to armageddon, that is)

[wondergirl9847]

So, we have Kerry, who doesn't seem to be very forthcoming with his stance on issues, and doesn't seem forceful enough.

We had whathisface who did that "ARG!" thing and people made a federal case that he seemed too forceful and unstable.

Then, there's Bush...sigh...not the brightest bulb in the box.

When are normal people gonna run for office?

[gldstwmn]

http://www.americanresearchgroup.com/presballot/

April 9, 2004

Kerry Maintains Lead Over Bush

John Kerry continues to maintain his lead over George W. Bush among Americans registered to vote according to a nationwide survey from the American Research Group, Inc. In the ballot preference between Kerry and Bush, 50% say they would vote for Kerry and 44% say they would vote for Bush. In March, Kerry was at 50% and Bush was at 43%. When Ralph Nader is added to the ballot, 48% say they would vote for Kerry, 43% say they would vote for Bush, and 2% say they would vote for Nader. This is unchanged from March.

The results presented here are based on 770 completed telephone interviews conducted among a nationwide random sample of registered voters. The interviews were completed April 6 through 9, 2004. The theoretical margin of error for the total sample is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, 95% of the time, on questions where opinion is evenly split.

Support for Kerry has strengthened among Democrats since March.

Apr 9 Bush Kerry Undecided

All voters 44% 50% 6%

Republicans 81% 10% 9%
Democrats 3% 95% 2%
Independents 46% 45% 9%

Mar 2004 43% 50% 7%
Feb 2004 46% 48% 6%
Jan 2004 46% 47% 7%

[DeeGeMe]

Normal people will run for elected office in this country when our press stops tearing them apart over every single little apparent character flaw or mis-step.

I hear this kind of crap all the time. My boss actually turned to me one day in the middle of a restaurant and said, "I'm so glad that Bush was president on 9/11. Can you imagine what Gore would have done?" My response, "Well, how could he have done anything worse than fly in the OPPOSITE direction like Bush did?"

[gldstwmn]

Originally posted by wondergirl9847
So, we have Kerry, who doesn't seem to be very forthcoming with his stance on issues, and doesn't seem forceful enough.

Whaaaat? Here you go: www.johnkerry.com

[gldstwmn]

Originally posted by chiliD
Are there any of Nostradamus' quatrains that has the word "Buisson" in them? (in relation to armageddon, that is)

Do you really want to know?

[darklinensuit]

Originally posted by Johnny Stew
the west Texas mentality."

Oxymoron of the day. (no offense to anyone)

- Jake