Key Midwest Swing States Now Leaning Toward Bush

LA Times ^ | August 26, 2004 | By Ronald Brownstein and Kathleen Hennessey, Times Staff Writers

[joinedafterattack]

WASHINGTON — President Bush is leading Sen. John F. Kerry in three hotly contested Midwestern states, despite continued doubts about the country's direction and the administration's policy choices, new Times polls have found. Bush has opened small leads — within the surveys' margin of error — in Ohio and Wisconsin, states where the presidential race was closer in Times polls taken in June. The new Times survey also finds Bush ahead in Missouri, though by a narrower margin than in June. The three states, with a combined 41 electoral votes, are among those both sides view as critical to the outcome of the race. In Missouri, Bush leads among registered voters, 46% to 44%; in Wisconsin, he leads 48% to 44%; in Ohio, the president holds a 49% to 44% advantage, the surveys found. Like a nationwide Times poll released Wednesday that showed Bush ahead 49% to 46%, the state surveys underscore Kerry's difficulty in converting a general desire for change into support for his candidacy. Kerry trails in the three states even though a majority of voters in each say the country is not better off because of Bush's policies and "needs to move in a new direction."

[joinedafterattack]

Like a nationwide Times poll released Wednesday that showed Bush ahead 49% to 46%, the state surveys underscore Kerry's difficulty in converting a general desire for change into support for his candidacy. Kerry trails in the three states even though a majority of voters in each say the country is not better off because of Bush's policies and "needs to move in a new direction."

[HawkeyeLonewolf]

Let's sneak a peek at DU.com... :)

Oops. They haven't heard yet!

[Merry]

I don't believe it's a small lead either. The Dems are in panic mode. The polls were probably Democrat leaning which means the gap is a wide lead.

[Rennes Templar]

"...despite continued doubts about the country's direction.."...they mean... "despite our doubts about the country when it's going in Bush drection"

[Darkwolf377]

The dems can relax now--they've got their "Bush stole Florida" story for when Kerry loses. "Dirty campaigning...dirty smear...Swift vets...stolen election...blah blah blah..."

[puroresu]

I watched Scarborough Country tonight. Pat Buchanan was the guest host. He played devil's advocate a little and asked representatives of both sides some tough questions.

But the most revealing segment was with Tony Blankley & 'Rat operative Lawrence O'Donnell. O'Donnell tried to invoke the 'Rat spin that the Swiftvet ads are hurting Bush. It was funny because about halfway through his spiel you could tell he was getting embarrassed by what he was saying. Both Pat & Blankley laughed at him and noted that Kerry wouldn't be behaving as he is if the ads were hurting Bush. Blankley (I think) said that the Swifties are really getting to Kerry, and that he's in such a panic over them that he's rejecting his own campaign staff's advice and making it personal, which only draws more attention to the Swiftvets. O'Donnell also tried to spin the polls, saying they're within the margin of error, so nothing has changed and it's still a dead heat. Pat or Blankley said no one ever screams for more debates unless they're behind and in trouble.

[Oblongata]

"President Bush is leading Sen. John F. Kerry in three hotly contested Midwestern states, despite continued doubts about the country's direction and the administration's policy choices, new Times polls have found. Bush has opened small leads — within the surveys' margin of error — in Ohio and Wisconsin, states where the presidential race was closer in Times polls taken in June."

Hmmm. Margin of error is +/-4pnts. 46 - 44 = 2, good. 48 - 44 = 4, getting close but still good. 49 - 44 = 5, whoops, time to make a correction. I'm not holding my breath.