Poll Shows Bush With Solid Lead - Despite Worries, Voters Cite Lack of Clarity From Kerry

Washington Post ^ | September 27, 2004 | Dan Balz and Vanessa Williams

[Cincinatus' Wife]

President Bush heads into the first presidential debate with a solid lead over John F. Kerry, boosted by the perception that he is a stronger leader with a clearer vision, despite deep concerns about Iraq and the pace of the economic recovery, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News Poll and interviews with voters in battleground states.

Bush's relentless attacks on Kerry have badly damaged the Democratic nominee, the survey and interviews showed. Voters routinely describe Kerry as wishy-washy, as a flip-flopper and as a candidate they are not sure they can trust, almost as if they are reading from Bush campaign ad scripts. But Kerry's problems are also partly of his own making. Despite repeated efforts to flesh out his proposals on Iraq, terrorism and other issues, he has yet to break through to undecided voters as someone who has clear plans for fixing the country's biggest problems.

....Bush has built his lead by besting Kerry in voters' perceptions of the two men's attributes and on their impressions of who is best equipped to handle the big issues facing the country. Voters say Bush rather than Kerry is better able by double-digit margins to deal with Iraq and terrorism and by lesser margins the economy and relations with other countries. Kerry holds a narrow lead on creating jobs.

Majorities say Bush is a strong leader, has taken a clear stand on issues, has an appealing personality and will make the country safer. A plurality gives Bush the edge on who is honest and trustworthy and who "shares your values," while the two receive roughly equal marks on who understands "the problems of people like you." A majority (55 percent) said Bush is too willing to take risks.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The article tries to resuscitate Kerry with interviews of indecided voters.

They also have a poll to compare your responses to their poll. Right side, half way down page.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

CORRECTION

This is the WASHINGTON POST!

Sorry about that.

[VisualizeSmallerGovernment]

boosted by the perception that he is a stronger leader with a clearer vision, despite deep concerns about Iraq and the pace of the economic recovery

Um, maybe it's just me, but if I had deep concerns about Iraq and the pace of the economic recovery, I would want a strong leader with a clear vision.

[Grampa Dave]

Kerry battling himself over Iraqi war in debates

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Um, maybe it's just me, but if I had deep concerns about Iraq and the pace of the economic recovery, I would want a strong leader with a clear vision.

That's as clear as the nose on Kerry's face.

[DSBull]

The only poll that matters is the poll taken on Election night. We will know the results of that one on Nov. 3. Anyway, I heard that most of these pollsters call during the day, when most people are at work and when housewives are too damn busy to answer questions from some dweeb, so who are they talking to..

[Cincinatus' Wife]

LOL

What a dufus.

[christie]

.
Kerry has a clear message. He just can tell us about it:

He'd sell us down the river and make nice nice with our enemies.

Look at history.

Check out the John F. Kerry Timeline.
.

[Peach]

Lack of clarity? How about an unbalanced mental state that has allowed Kerry to flip flop every five minutes.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

And this thing about secret Bush draft and milk plans.

Kerry is off the rails.

Kerry says Bush would hurt milk producers - Calls himself "tall horse"

[cartoonistx]

[beyond the sea]

Please folks don't get complacent. Remember massive Democrat voter fraud must be overcome.

They are cheating more than ever before, because in their never-ending ignorance, they have themselves convinced that they were cheated the last time around.

Work at your local polls!!!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Nuance.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Work at your local polls!!!

Bump!

[basil]

The only poll that matters is the poll taken on Election night. We will know the results of that one on Nov. 3.

We can only hope this is so. I'm still reeling from the 2000 fiasco!

[Peach]

And a secret plan to bring back the draft.

I wish I'd kept track of all the conspiracies that Kerry has espoused. He's nutty as a fruitcake.

[ambrose]

Is anyone buying this story?

Trina Moss, 47, a single mother from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., lost her job of 25 years last month when the company she worked for closed down. She will vote Democratic for the first time since she was 18. "I don't care what Bush is saying -- he's lying," she said. "I saw what was happening to this economy. It really didn't hit me until it happened to me. . . . I feel so strongly that Bush is responsible for the factory closing, because of outsourcing, that I've signed up to help the Kerry campaign get out the vote."

[Graymatter]

>>Kerry has a clear message...He'd sell us down the river and make nice nice with our enemies.

Exactly!! There are 2 problems with Kerry's message. It's either unclear or it's all too clear.

[ScuzzyTerminator]

Interesting running summarys from pollingreport

	BUSH vs. KERRY: 2-way trial heats, among likely voters; with leaners, where available. (See also registered voters.)
		Survey	BUSH	KERRY		Margin		Includes Running-
		End Date	%	%		Bush	Kerry	mates?
	CNN/USA Today/Gallup	9/26	52	44		8		Y
	FOX/Opinion Dynamics	9/22	45	43		2		N
	Democracy Corps (D)	9/21	49	49				N
	Zogby	9/19	47	44		3		Y
	IBD/CSM/TIPP	9/18	46	43		3		N
	GWU Battleground	9/16	49	45		4		N
	Gallup	9/15	55	42		13		Y
	Democracy Corps (D)	9/14	49	48		1		N
	New Democrat Network (D)	9/12	49	45		4
	ICR	9/12	52	44		8		Y
	IBD/CSM/TIPP	9/12	47	47				N
	Zogby	9/9	47	45		2		Y
	Time	9/9	54	42		12		Y
	Democracy Corps (D)	9/9	50	47		3		N
	FOX/Opinion Dynamics	9/8	47	45		2		N
	CNN/USA Today/Gallup	9/5	52	45		7		Y
	ICR	9/5	48	47		1		Y
	Time	9/2	53	43		10		Y
	Zogby	9/2	46	44		2		Y
	American Research Group	9/1	48	47		1		N
	ABC/Washington Post	8/29	49	49				n/a
	ICR	8/29	46	50			4	Y
	Time	8/26	48	48				Y
	FOX/Opinion Dynamics	8/25	44	45			1	N
	Gallup	8/25	50	47		3		Y
	NPR	8/24	45	50			5	N
	GWU Battleground	8/17	47	49			2	N
	Zogby	8/14	43	50			7	Y
	Gallup	8/11	50	47		3		Y
	ICR	8/8	48	48				Y
	Time	8/5	44	51			7	Y
	Democracy Corps (D)	8/5	45	52			7	N
	FOX/Opinion Dynamics	8/4	43	48			5	N
	ABC/Washington Post	8/1	48	49			1	n/a
	CNN/USA Today/Gallup	8/1	51	47		4		Y
	BUSH vs. KERRY: 2-way trial heats, among registered voters; with leaners, where available. (See also likely voters.)
		Survey	BUSH	KERRY		Margin		Includes Running-
		End Date	%	%		Bush	Kerry	mates?
	CNN/USA Today/Gallup	9/26	54	41		13		Y
	Time	9/23	48	44		4		Y
	CBS	9/22	49	41		8		Y
	NBC/Wall Street Journal	9/19	49	46		3		Y
	IBD/CSM/TIPP	9/18	44	43		1		N
	CBS	9/16	50	42		8		Y
	Gallup	9/15	52	44		8		Y
	ICR	9/12	49	45		4		Y
	IBD/CSM/TIPP	9/12	44	46			2	N
	Newsweek	9/10	50	45		5		Y
	Time [excludes leaners]	9/9	51	39		12		Y
	CBS	9/8	50	42		8		Y
	CNN/USA Today/Gallup	9/5	49	48		1		Y
	ICR	9/5	46	47			1	Y
	Newsweek	9/3	54	43		11		Y
	Time	9/2	50	42		8		Y
	American Research Group	9/1	46	48			2	N
	ABC/Washington Post	8/29	48	49			1	n/a
	ICR	8/29	44	51			7	Y
	Gallup	8/25	47	48			1	Y
	Los Angeles Times	8/24	49	46		3		Y
	IBD/CSM/TIPP	8/23	44	44				N
	CBS	8/18	44	47			3	Y
	Gallup	8/11	48	47		1		Y
	ICR	8/8	45	50			5	Y
	Time	8/5	43	51			8	Y
	IBD/CSM/TIPP	8/5	43	49			6	N
	FOX/Opinion Dynamics	8/4	43	46			3	N
	ABC/Washington Post	8/1	45	52			7	n/a
	American Research Group	8/1	46	49			3	N
	CBS	8/1	43	49			6	Y
	CBS	8/1	44	51			7	N
	CNN/USA Today/Gallup	8/1	48	48				Y

[sissyjane]

>>Bush's relentless attacks on Kerry have badly damaged the Democratic nominee, the survey and interviews showed<<

uuuuummmmmm, no, ---Kerry has damaged himself.
He has no direction, no forsight, no leadership.