Posted on 10/10/2004 5:42:19 AM PDT by bakatare
Oct. 10, 2004 — Among the sentiments fueling the 2004 election, put anger on John Kerry's side: On the subject of George W. Bush, his supporters are riled.
Nearly half of likely voters who support Kerry are "angry" about Bush administration policies. Anger peaks in some of Kerry's strongest support groups — liberals, Democrats and the non-religious. And it far outstrips the anger Bush supporters feel about Kerry.
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Anger, though, is not the only motivating factor in politics, and the race between the two men is still close: Fifty percent of likely voters support Bush in the latest ABC News tracking poll, 46 percent Kerry and one percent Ralph Nader. That's about where it's been the last few days.
Interviews for the horse-race results in this poll were conducted during the last four days, Thursday through Saturday. Interviews on voter anger were conducted earlier in the week, Tuesday through Thursday.
Anger/Enthusiasm
There are a few likely reasons for the anger sentiments found in this survey. One is that, in an incumbent election, supporters of the challenger are by definition anti-incumbent. Another is that Bush has policies for people to be angry about (or pleased with); Kerry, by contrast, has only proposed policies.
The last is that Bush has targeted his campaign more at motivating the Republican base, while Kerry has aimed his more at appealing to the center. Both are sensible strategies given the size of the groups at play: Conservatives, a core Republican group, account for just over a third of likely voters, while liberals, a core Democratic group, account for fewer, about two in 10.
The disproportionate anger with Bush means that, across all likely voters, 22 percent are angry with his policies, while just about half as many, 10 percent, are angry about the policies Kerry has proposed. (Democratic anger at Bush, as an aside, is gender neutral: About four in 10 Democratic men and women alike are angry about his policies.)
On the flip side, the candidates are about even in enthusiasm about their policies: Seventeen percent of all likely voters are enthusiastic about Bush's, 16 percent about Kerry's. Independents are five points more apt to be enthusiastic about Kerry's policies, but that's not a significant difference given the sample size; and moderates are 12 points more apt to be enthusiastic about Kerry, but moderates are a Democratic-leaning group.
ABC = Anything But Credible
Certainly angry enough to ransack several Republican campaign HQs, and squeeze off a few rounds at others.
The loss of power really brings out the best in liberals, hmm?
I do not agree that Republicans are not angry at the lies and character assassination that have been thrown at President Bush.
You're right! Any news organization that reports their silly internet poll results as news is irresponsible and NOT credible.
"And it far outstrips the anger Bush supporters feel about Kerry".
You WANT some ANGER MSM? Call me ABC!!!! I got a whole $hit-load of ANGER for kerry. I could supply you with a 10,000 word essay on my hate for lurch (and the lurchette's)!
BRING IT ON!!!
LLS
He is very thorough and objective.
Which is one reason that the polls are just a hair above meaningless. The polling groups have a wide variety of models to project turnout, and plenty of evidence that this election won't abide by any of the proven models.
Take, for example, the fact that many polls which query both likely and registered voters have shown that Bush has more favor among registed voters than among the likely voter sub-group. I don't believe I had ever seen registered voters lean more Republican than likely voters - ever! Does this mean that there is a large pool of people that have never voted before intending to vote for Bush? Does it mean that there are a lot of weak bush supporters that probably won't vote?
We won't know what it means until after the election.
Nearly half of likely voters who support Kerry are "angry" ..
So is this conservative at liberal lies!
Sure that's the right URL? I get redirected to a list of links to stuff like DU and smirking chimp.
It's really hard to be angry at Kerry's policies when he can't seem to give us a clear description of what they are.
The only Dimocrat voters I know are bitter and angry, it seems to be a prerequisite to being a liberal.
I see that.
Bush: 100%
Kerry: 0%
abc
Already
Been
Corupted
to: Skyshot
PERFECT description
I agree with you that's turnouts the key now; however, can either side win on hate alone? Remember how in '96 our side had great loathing for Clinton, and fat lot of good it did us. Here's hoping the same thing happens again, but with defeat for the libs and victory for us.
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