Bush, Kerry Locked in Dead Heat (Washinton Post)

[joefree1]

Bush, Kerry Locked in Dead Heat, Poll Shows
President Holds Clear Advantages on Security, Leadership, but Falls Short on Economy

By Richard Morin and Christopher Muste
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, August 30, 2004; 5:22 PM

President Bush holds clear advantages over John F. Kerry on national security issues and leadership in the war on terror, largely erasing the broad gains Kerry made at his Boston convention last month, but voters continue to give the president negative marks on the economy and his handling of Iraq, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News Poll.

At the opening of the Republican National Convention, Bush and Kerry remained deadlocked in the race for the White House, with each claiming 48 percent of likely voters, with 2 percent supporting independent Ralph Nader, virtually unchanged from a survey taken immediately after the Democratic convention. Among all registered voters, the poll found Bush at 48 percent, Kerry at 47 percent, a shift in the president's direction since the previous survey.

The survey offered conflicting evidence of the impact of the controversy over Kerry's Vietnam record and television ads attacking his character aired by a group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. A solid majority of voters said they believed Kerry deserved the medals he won in Vietnam and most voters see the issue of Vietnam as irrelevant to their choice in November. But in the past month, Kerry's personal image has deteriorated, with almost as many voters viewing him unfavorably as favorably.
More ...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46918-2004Aug30.html


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[Eurobabe]

1. if you believe the 2000 paradigm

I don't.

[TahitiNut]

2. Has everyone forgotten that the Kerry Campaign held spending ...

... until after the GOP convention in order to have parity in public funding? All this "news" about polls and not a single article contains the reminder that the delayed GOP convention allowed them to use primary season private funding far, far longer than Kerry/Edwards. Kerry/Edwards went 'dark' from the end of the Democratic Convention until this comng Friday. The Swiftboat smears were intentionally timed for this period.

[lancdem]

4. Exactly

I'm glad Kerry didn't run ads this month. I think Rove wanted Kerry to spend money refuting the SBVT ads so Bush would have an advantage going into September, but he didn't budge.

[lovuian]

3. 2004 looks like a repeat of 2000

This election will be stolen again....you can see the same set up

[shanti]

8. and most americans

the sheeple, are too stupid to see it.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. I ask what leadership? what national security?

19 box cutter guys pull a shitty stunt 3 years ago and this absolute shit and his buddies get a free ride ever since. This has got to go down as the all time biggest scam in the history of mankind.

[joefree1]

6. This is the best they can do?

The repukes are throwing all the toxic sleaze they can and get little nicks for their trouble. I'm looking forward to next week.

[ogradda]

7. this always confuses me

9/11 happened when he was in charge right?? y do the repubs always act like he is some sort of bulwark when he's been fucking up from the get-go???

[leesa]

9. Exremely doubtful. They must con you into believing it is close

or they cannot steal it again.

[GaryL]

10. Remember folks.

If the moron wins, it's been stolen. Time to clear out of the US.

[troublemaker]

11. Compare WP with ABC's story on the exact same poll. (Fuck ABC...)

As his nominating convention kicks off, an ABC News/Washington Post poll shows Bush has erased most of John Kerry's gains on issues and attributes alike, retaking a sizable lead in trust to handle terrorism, moving ahead on Iraq and battling the Democratic presidential nominee to parity on the economy — the three top issues of the 2004 campaign.

Bush also has reclaimed an advantage in being seen as more honest and trustworthy, bolstered his rating for strong leadership and moved to a 10-point lead as better qualified to serve as commander in chief, erasing Kerry's edge in the latter after his convention late last month.

The race between the two remains essentially unchanged — even among likely voters, at 48 percent to 48 percent. But the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll shows clear deflation for Kerry across a range of measures: Strong enthusiasm for his candidacy has dropped by 16 points (almost precisely what it gained after Boston), and his personal favorability rating has lost eight points to hit a new low. Bush, meanwhile, has chipped five points off the number of Americans who see him unfavorably.

This doesn't suddenly make Bush a popular president: His overall job approval rating is 52 percent among registered voters, with less than 50 percent approval for his work on Iraq, the economy, taxes and health care. Fifty-four percent are dissatisfied with the nation's direction, and 46 percent think most Americans have gotten worse off financially under his presidency. But politics is comparative, and on many fronts Bush is looking better against Kerry than he did a month ago.

Though the "swift boat" controversy is a convenient foil — and can't have helped Kerry — the shift looks to represent broader assessments. The Massachusetts senator has lost ground on unrelated items ranging from "a vision for the future" to trust to handle health care and education. And his losses have occurred as much among nonveterans as among military vets...

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/Vote2004/bush_convention_poll_040829.html

[troublemaker]

12. Why not just KERRY TRAILS BUSH 48%-48%