Poll Shows Kerry Hurt By Attacks (LA TIMES POLL Bush 49% Kerry 46%)

Political Wire ^ | August 25, 2004

[RWR8189]

Political Wire got an advance look at the new Los Angeles Times poll showing President Bush "moving slightly" ahead of Sen. John Kerry "for the first time this year." Bush had the support of 49% of registered voters, compared to 46% for Kerry.

The newspaper's analysis indicates Kerry "has been nicked by attacks on his service in Vietnam."

The "small shift" from last month's poll "is within the poll's margin of error. But it fits with other findings in the Times Poll showing the electorate edging toward Bush over the past month on a broad range of measures, from support for his handling of Iraq to confidence in his leadership and honesty."

Independent voters split evenly, but Bush's "tentative new advantage" seems to be "his greater success at onsolidating his base. While just 3% of voters who call themselves Republicans say they will vote for Kerry, Bush is drawing 15% just over one-seventh of all Democrats, and fully one-fifth 20% of Democrats who consider themselves moderate or conservative, the poll found."

[Pukin Dog]

Not even close. Plenty more to come. I can tell you one thing; Kerry's diary is soon going to be public.

[tirednvirginia]

Well this wouldn't be happening if Bush would put an end to this "fear and smear" campaign. LOL

[I still care]

All that is happening is that Kerry is being exposed for who he is.

Maybe not the medal stuff, but for the antiwar rhetoric that many never knew him for.

Wait until the voters start to find out he's anti death penalty, anti gun, pro late term abortion, pro tax and spend, and pro gay marriage. So far he's been able to hide that. The MSM has been doing a good job helping him out, too. But I think eventually it has to come out.

The Kerry most people are voting for is a nonexistant shadow, a creation that hides behind Vietnam service. That mask is being pulled away.

[The Green Goblin]

not if the swifties have something else their sleeve to drop soon. If not, maybe. It was a clear admission of being there.

Yeah, it certainly casts doubt on anything O'Neill had to say in his book and is saying elsewhere. Don't know about the others...

[goldstategop]

"Nicked" is the understatement of the year. Kerry is losing ground and doesn't know how to counter the attacks against him. Plus, he's shown himself to have a thin skin, prone to making rash decisions, and someone who is easily rattled by a very minor problem.

[LikeLight]

"I love the smell of fear and smear in the morning"

[section9]

Wow.

First, this is the LA Times, which is like a radioactive hotbed of anti-Bush sentiment. They are actually worse than the NYT or the Palm Beach Post, if that can be believed.

Secondly, this is a poll of Registered Voters. That's like taking a poll of the cast of Dawn of the Dead, or trying to count fire hydrants in Chicago. The likely voters count could be another point or two in our favor.

Right now, Kerry still leads in EV's overall, and by a sizable margin. However, as the horserace numbers go Bush's way, expect the marginal Kerry's to move to Tossup, thence to marginal Bush in September. Some could be solid Bush by the time October rolls around, especially after the World Series concludes.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[edwin hubble]

"Yeah - "'Tis only a flesh wound"...."

'tis not so deep as a well, nor as wide as a Church door, but 'tis enough. 'twill serve. (Romeo&Juliet,III,1, Mercurio)

One torpedo in the hull. (The way the Bismark took the first hit)

[txrangerette]

O'Neill amended his words to
Nixon in the very next breath,
to say Cambodian border area but
inside Vietnam. The media & Dems
are trying to cover that up.

[JohnnyZ]

Are the Democrats reaping the fruits of trying to polarize the electorate? The Republicans get more polarized toward Bush, while some Democrats are turned off my the "angry" Kerry-Dean-et-al message?

[ambrose]

They already blew their AWOL wad in March. In fact, I recall reading that Kerry anticipated these attacks and was looking to personally counterattack with the AWOL charges, but then Terry McAwful just couldn't resist attacking Bush back in March.

[goldstategop]

Yep. Once Kerry's political Kevlar vest is destroyed, he'll be revealed as another warmed over Michael Dukakis. And we thought we had a tough foe. LOL

[faithincowboys]

Maybe they are juicing these polls to make it seem like Bush gets no post-convention bump.

I don't trust what the Slimes says EVER.

[Fabozz]

"While just 3% of voters who call themselves Republicans say they will vote for Kerry, Bush is drawing 15% just over one-seventh of all Democrats, and fully one-fifth 20% of Democrats who consider themselves moderate or conservative, the poll found."

Notice a subtle distinction in the two candidates' styles. Kerry has been condemning "the Republican attack machine." Bush, by contrast, has been condemning the Kerry campaign and the 527s. If you're a Democrat, Bush is proud to have your vote (just ask Zell Miller or Ed Koch), but if you're a mean old nasty homophobic racist Republican, Kerry wants nothing to do with you.

Either the Kerry campaign is run by complete idiots, or his staff doesn't want him to win. But I can't see how that could be—after all, he surrounded himself with former Clinton people... ;)

[TNCMAXQ]

"Nicked" huh? Maybe he'd better put some ice on it. Where have we heard that before? ;-)

Didn't the L A Times polls show Schwarzenegger losing last year? Looks to me like they underestimate the GOP vote. So this poll may even be better news for GWB than it looks like.

[tirednvirginia]

The Dems haven't learned yet that they aren't dealing with those Republican weenies in Congress anymore. This is George W. Bush.

[Texasforever]

so..can we send him back for 8 more months..?

Good idea. Let him run to be predident of Vietnam. To them he really is a hero.

[Dragonspirit]

$$$$

If it's from the LA Times, they are likely downplaying it.

[ambrose]

The Swifty story will reach its natural end with the RNC Convention, where they will focus on Kerry's senate record and W's second term agenda. That's why I think Regenry is really blowing it by not having the books on the shelves NOW.

[zook]

And he has the gall to ask for a DOJ investigation of links between Bush and the SBVs!!!??? Can he not see how transparently hypocritical that is?