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Kerry Slips Slightly as GOP Heads for NYC; Poll Finds Kerry's Lead Softening (internals)
Time Magazine ^ | 8-28-04

Posted on 08/28/2004 1:53:17 PM PDT by ambrose

Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004

Kerry Slips Slightly as GOP Heads for NYC Poll Finds Kerry's Lead Softening

By MARK SCHULMAN

A new TIME poll finds President Bush heading into next week's Republican National Convention amid signs that his opponent's advantage is softening. Two weeks of John Kerry playing defense over his Vietnam record and relentless Republican attacks on what they characterize as his "flip-flopping" on Iraq appear to have taken a toll: President Bush now appears to be in a statistical dead-heat with Kerry in a three-way race among likely voters, with 46% backing Bush, 44% backing Kerry and 5% opting for Ralph Nader and 3% undecided. Immediately after the Democratic convention, Bush had trailed Kerry among likely voters by 48% - 43%, with Nader at 4%. Even if Nader were to drop out, a two-way race also finds Bush and Kerry neck-and-neck at 46% each.

One key indicator of Kerry's fortunes, his favorability rating, has dropped from 53% favorable - 29% unfavorable in early August to 44% favorable - 33% unfavorable today. More importantly, TIME's poll finds some fraying of Kerry's support at the edges. For example, coming out of the Boston Democratic Convention, Kerry's own supporters gave him a 91% favorability rating. That's dropped to 84% now.

The poll finds other worrisome signs for Kerry:

§ Kerry has lost his edge over Bush on who voters trust to manage the economy —previously a bedrock Kerry lead. Kerry went from a 51% - 42% lead over Bush in early August to a 46% Kerry - 43% Bush near tie today.

§ Handling the Iraq situation went from a 44% Kerry - 46% Bush tie to a Bush lead, 41% Kerry - 49% Bush. This drop may have been caused when Kerry declared recently that he would vote "yes" again for Bush's resolution authorizing war, even though no weapons of mass destruction were found.

§ Kerry lost ground to Bush on who voters trust to be commander-in-chief. Kerry and Bush tied in early August, 47% for Kerry - 45% for Bush. Bush has now opened a lead here, 42% Kerry - 50% Bush.

§ Bush has lengthened his lead over Kerry in providing strong leadership in difficult times. Bush now leads 52% - 41% for Kerry. Bush's lead in early August was 48% - 43%.

§ Independents split almost evenly now between Kerry (43%) and Bush (42%). Three weeks ago, Kerry led Bush among independents 43% - 36%.

-snip-


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; polls
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1 posted on 08/28/2004 1:53:17 PM PDT by ambrose
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To: ambrose

Can you imagine the tears at TIME when they published this ?


2 posted on 08/28/2004 1:54:46 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks
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To: ambrose

Did someone hear a giant sucking sound? Sounds like someone's letting the air out of Sen. Kerry's balloon.


3 posted on 08/28/2004 1:54:48 PM PDT by Steel Wolf (Don't make me roll initiative...!)
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To: ambrose

The polls should be REALLY interesting one week from now.


heheheh.


4 posted on 08/28/2004 1:56:23 PM PDT by EggsAckley (........."YO" is "OY" spelled backwards.........)
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To: ambrose

Flip-flopping?

http://www.georgewbush.com/olympics


5 posted on 08/28/2004 1:57:04 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
Can you imagine the tears at TIME when they published this ?

"We've just got to roll up our sleeves and work harder to fool the people into thinking this guy is a valid candidate. Let's roll."

6 posted on 08/28/2004 1:57:48 PM PDT by John Thornton
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: ambrose

"Slightly" is a Time euphemism for "Look out below!"


8 posted on 08/28/2004 1:58:09 PM PDT by Radix (John Kerry is finally not going to do a 180, especially when it comes to releasing his form 180!)
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To: ambrose
I just love the headlines the MSM use when things are going badly for their boy; "the empty glass is overflowing with wine and honey". I smell fear and desperation emanating from the Rats.
9 posted on 08/28/2004 2:00:16 PM PDT by crazyhorse691 (I volunteer to instruct JFK on the meaning of a purple heart!!)
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To: Steel Wolf

Kerry seems like a brittle person. I don't think he's going to handle this news well. Look for him to lash out more when campaigning. Libs will love his anger, but it'll probably be a turn-off to others.


10 posted on 08/28/2004 2:00:44 PM PDT by 68skylark
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To: ambrose
§ Handling the Iraq situation went from a 44% Kerry - 46% Bush tie to a Bush lead, 41% Kerry - 49% Bush. This drop may have been caused when Kerry declared recently that he would vote "yes" again for Bush's resolution authorizing war, even though no weapons of mass destruction were found.

No media bias here, right? Here is an alternative explanation. Perhaps Americans want stronger U.S. military action against the bad guys in Iraq (e.g. Fallujah, Najaf, Al Sadr and his band of losers, etc.), and see Kerry as even less likely than Bush to deliver. I know I do. Or perhaps they are more concerned that Kerry will simply cut and run -- doing the American equivalent of what the Spanish did in response to the Madrid bombing a few months ago.

At the very least, one would think that Time could have cited data from its own poll in support of its explanation, instead of just making it up in the guise of reporting hard facts.

11 posted on 08/28/2004 2:01:44 PM PDT by kesg
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
Can you imagine the tears at TIME when they published this ?

RATs are still rats, and they don't go down with the swift boat. If they're jumping ship now, it means that they see Kerry's position as untenable. Its just a matter of time before the rest of the country catches on, so they're distancing themselves early.

I have no doubt that they'll try and cover for Kerry as long as they can, but that cover will become less solid and frequent as Kerry's viability plummets.

12 posted on 08/28/2004 2:02:13 PM PDT by Steel Wolf (Don't make me roll initiative...!)
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To: ambrose
Kerry Slips Slightly as GOP Heads for NYC Poll Finds Kerry's Lead Softening

46% backing Bush, 44% backing Kerry and 5% opting for Ralph Nader and 3% undecided

Guess it depends on your definition of Lead or Softening, another marvelous Clinton legacy.

13 posted on 08/28/2004 2:04:18 PM PDT by Joe Miner
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To: ambrose
Poll Finds Kerry's Lead Softening (internals)

What should one expect of a spineless jellyfish.

14 posted on 08/28/2004 2:04:30 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative (Do not remove this tag under penalty of law.)
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To: ambrose

Now, am I missing something, or does that headline say Kerry's LEAD softening when BUSH HAS THE LEAD?????


15 posted on 08/28/2004 2:05:09 PM PDT by LS (CNN is the Amtrak of news.)
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To: 68skylark
Kerry seems like a brittle person. I don't think he's going to handle this news well. Look for him to lash out more when campaigning. Libs will love his anger, but it'll probably be a turn-off to others.

A 'Howard Dean' moment during, say, the debates, would be a thing of beauty. President Bush has a wicked sense of humor when he's feeling confrontational, and if he pushes the right button, Kerry's head will explode on TV.

16 posted on 08/28/2004 2:06:30 PM PDT by Steel Wolf (Don't make me roll initiative...!)
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To: ambrose

Slightly....the commies must be drinking kool aid again!!! I'd say Kerry's numbers have dropped like a led balloon.....I'm so happy the Republicans have now pulled out their really big guns....the firing is so loud it's deafening. I Love that team of Republicans...they're so fine!!!! The RATS are a bunch of bumbling idiots. We've got the Cowboys on our team...YES!!


17 posted on 08/28/2004 2:07:17 PM PDT by shield (The Greatest Scientific Discoveries of the Century Reveal God!!!! by Dr. H. Ross, Astrophysicist)
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To: Radix
"Slightly" is a Time euphemism for "Look out below!"

ROTFLMAO!!

18 posted on 08/28/2004 2:08:30 PM PDT by teletech (Friends don't let friends vote DemocRAT!)
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To: Steel Wolf
Yeah, it's hard to imagine what the debates are going to be like. It's tempting to say that Bush is going to totally dominate -- the way he dominated Gore -- because of his good humor and superior skills.

I don't want to make the mistake of underestimating the opponent -- but it just seems to me that Kerry is going to be a terrible debater.

19 posted on 08/28/2004 2:14:29 PM PDT by 68skylark
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
Things must be grim for Kerry if a Democrat propaganda organ like Time magazine can bring itself to publish something like this.
20 posted on 08/28/2004 2:16:58 PM PDT by Savage Beast (Kerry: the first self-confessed war criminal to be nominated for president. ~Mark Steyn)
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