Bush wants to show he can be trusted

[papau]

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20040902/a_bushtrust02.art.htm

Page 6A

Bush wants to show he can be trusted
By Judy Keen
USA TODAY

Voters' belief sustains a campaign. Some say the president has lost credibility, and his poll

ratings on that quality have declined. Tonight, he hopes to regain that ground.

NEW YORK — The challenge President Bush faces in his acceptance speech tonight is simple but daunting: He hopes to make the case to millions of potential voters that he has earned their trust.

Trust is one of the most elusive and valuable commodities in politics. It is the terrain on which campaigns are fought. It is a powerful product of voters' gut feelings about a candidate. Once lost, trust is difficult for a candidate to reclaim.

“Once an opinion is formed — particularly a negative opinion — overturning it is the most difficult thing to do in politics,” says Thomas Hollihan, a professor of communications at the University of Southern California.

Americans' views of Bush's trustworthiness declined after the war with Iraq began. In April 2003, just before Baghdad fell, a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll found that 73% of Americans considered Bush honest and trustworthy. Last November, amid questions about whether weapons of mass destruction — the nuclear, biological and chemical weapons that were Bush's chief rationale for the war — would be found, that trust was down to 59%.

Last week, when people were asked in a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll whether “honest and trustworthy” applies more to Bush or Sen. John Kerry, 44% said Bush and 39% said Kerry.<snip>

[kentuck]

1. Only a fool would trust George W Bush....

i know that's an awful thing to say about the leader of our country, but it's true.

[21winner]

2. Hey,Bunnypants!

Trust is built over time. It can be destroyed in seconds. You are just criminally stupid because you never learned that.

Here is for your bad luck because you will think its good if you are reappointed.
IT WILL NOT HAPPEN.

[democratreformed]

3. Funny thing - how do you TALK someone into believing they trust you?

You either do or you don't. You can't be talked into trusting someone. That line alone signals to me that HE knows he's in trouble.