Bush drumbeat: war on terror

[Nicholas_J]

Polls show Bush beating Kerry by 20 points on leadership in fighting terrorism, but economy remains voters' No. 1 concern.

By Liz Marlantes and Linda Feldmann | Staff writers of The Christian Science Monitor

NEW YORK – In the wake of a Republican convention that portrayed President Bush as a steely, visionary wartime leader - and pounded Sen. John Kerry as dangerously weak and indecisive - it's clear the Bush campaign is betting that this election will come down to one issue: Which candidate will be tougher in the war on terror?
The Republicans' overriding message, repeated throughout the week, was that since 9/11 America has entered a dangerous new era - a period like the cold war that calls for aggressive leadership and firm resolve. Speakers repeatedly made the case that the personal characteristics Mr. Bush embodies, as well as the values and priorities of his party as a whole, are inherently more suited to guiding the nation through perilous times. Handing power over to Senator Kerry and the Democrats, they implied, could jeopardize the nation's security.



Certainly, the strategy plays to Bush's strengths: Polls show the war on terror remains his strongest asset, with the president beating Kerry by as much as 20 points on that count. But by offering such a single-minded focus, the Bush campaign is also effectively counting on the fact that terrorism will trump all other issues - such as the economy - for voters.

"If the message continues as who can lead us through this war on terrorism better, then the president trumps ," says independent pollster John Zogby. But "The No. 1 issue among voters is still the economy."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0903/p01s02-uspo.html