Bush going down - Kerry widens lead with Bush in new poll
 

There is light at the end of the tunnel.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politic...rry-poll_x.htm


WASHINGTON ? Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry would defeat President Bush if the election were held today, according to a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll that shows serious vulnerabilities for the president.

The survey, taken Thursday through Sunday, reflects the battering Bush has received from the Democratic presidential contenders for months and the questions raised in the past week about the administration's rationale for going to war with Iraq.

Even as a snapshot at a difficult moment, the poll shows perils for Bush early in the election year:

? Kerry defeated Bush 53% to 46%, a lead outside the poll's margin of error. North Carolina Sen. John Edwards edged Bush at 49%-48%, a statistical tie. Bush bested former Vermont governor Howard Dean by 7 points and retired Army general Wesley Clark by 3.

? Bush's job-approval rating dipped below 50% for the first time in his presidency, to 49%, and his disapproval rating rose to a record 48%. His approval ratings for handling the economy, Iraq and health care all fell to near-record lows.

? Support for going to war with Iraq also dipped below 50% for the first time, to 49%. The proportion of Americans who were certain that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or was trying to develop them before the war fell dramatically. More than four in 10 said the administration deliberately misled the public about whether Iraq had the banned weapons.

In an attempt to address that concern, Bush agreed Monday to order a bipartisan probe into prewar intelligence. He spoke before meeting with former chief U.S. arms inspector David Kay, who has told Congress that reports the arms existed were wrong.

Bush, whose job approval was a robust 60% just three weeks ago, faces a more difficult landscape and some sobering history. Since World War II, only two presidents have trailed challengers early in the election year. In 1948, Harry Truman was behind Thomas Dewey but won in November. In 1976, Gerald Ford was behind Jimmy Carter and lost.

"Kerry's got a big bloom on the rose ... and as soon as that wears off, this race is going to be competitive from start to finish," says Matthew Dowd, strategist for the Bush campaign. He predicts that either candidate will find himself up or down 3, 4 or 5 percentage points through the year: "In a tight race in a closely divided country, this is where we'll operate."

Mark Mellman, a pollster and strategist for Kerry, says the poll underscores the opening for Democrats.

"People are unhappy with his (Bush's) economy performance, they're unhappy with the situation in Iraq, and Kay has dealt his credibility and/or his competence a real blow," Mellman says. He said Kerry has shown "tremendous strength" in recent weeks.

Among the Democratic candidates, Kerry was supported by a commanding 49% of Democrats nationally who are registered to vote. Former front-runner Dean was second at 14%, followed by Edwards at 13%.

Bush is going down on Kerry?? wow

Good news for the U.S!

I hope so. Bush is a fuck up.

Too bad nothing is gonna change with Kerry.

We can only hope.

Bush just announced that he plans to make cuts to social programs in favor of tighter homeland security. He feels that "most Americans would agree" as well.


It was in today's New York Times.

Hmm, about the same numbers gore beat bush in the 2000 election. :1orglaugh

I like Kerry so far. Anyone looks better than Bush though. But I like what he has to say and his stands on everything, especially when he gets on a roll about how he hates Ashhahahahaha so much heh.

Bush won't leave the White house. Either there will be some major "terrorist attack" on the US right between now and the election, or he'll steal it with fake polls and the electronic voting machines made by his friends at Diebold. Mark my words there will be another 4 years of Bush.

God I hope I'm wrong, but it's pretty rare that I am.

well I just hope if Kerry is going to be the front runner aginst Bush that Dean will step out so he dosn't pull votes away once it's election time... or vice versa because if both still run at election time Bush could still get enough votes to win

Yep. One of the first things he'll do is kick ASSkroft to the curb.

i had the chance to see Kerry debate here in Milwaukee about a month ago and never went (it was snowin like a bitch outside). Wish i DID go.....anything is better than bush, but i would like to know a few reasons why im votin for him lol

I watched Bush in a cabinet meeting yesterday. He looked totally unsure of himself, and scared.

He's slipping in popularity and he knows it.

America wants middle of the road balanced leadership. Not a bunch of radically right wingers running things like they have been.

These politicians just never learn.

both are Skull & Bones members:321GFY

Hooooraayy!!

I'm afraid you might be right. A terrorist attack such as a nuke being set off in a major city would result in martial law being imposed and all elections being indefinitely put on hold.

that a fucking scary thought

I totally agree with you Bush barely won the election and this country was already divided... If he were a true leader he would have balanced his term to suit the majority of the people and not stuck to his hard guns and to the far right. He has shown he only cares for his belifs and not the rest of America.

Bush is not my president and he dosn't represent me, he is only renting a room that he hasn't paid for.. I'm just waiting for the evection notice to be issued by the sheriff, to kick his ass to the curb.

The first thing I look at with these polls are the amount of people. Just like we say here in adult 1000k hits isnt enough to judge a sponsor, so then we run off and listen to some fuckin retarded poll of 400 "likely" demcrats and its big news? LMAO:1orglaugh

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh

Also how can you even take a poll right now that's worth anything, if worth anything??? Kerry is campaigning right now, Bush is not. Of course "those" polls are going to read that way. He is getting all the liberals jacked up right now so he can be the running democrat. Just wait "those" polls will read in Bush?s favor when he starts campaigning.

Its with any poll, Im not infavor of any of the contenders or Bush, but these useless fuckin polls of 450 people are hilarious. When you poll 500k collect the results and maybe we can discuss.

And where does it say that 450 people were polled?

What are you saying? People are unaware of bushies policies? :1orglaugh

Look at poll results on corresponding page, maybe I read wrong

I see this on 99% of the polls

Based on 415 Democratic or Democratic leaners who are registered to vote. For results based on this sample, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points.

KRL did you read the times the last couple of days?

His campaign is going to be basically War on Terror / No new taxes. (don't worry about the budget or domestic cuts in spending).

It will be interesting to see how Americans react.

Third party, here I come.