Bush, GOP, up in Harris poll

UPI ^ | Published 9/27/2002 8:16 PM | From the Life & Mind Desk

[luv2ndamend]

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- The ratings of President George W. Bush and the Republicans have improved sharply as the nation's focus moves from domestic issues to a preemptive war with Iraq, terrorism and national security, a new Harris poll has found.

"The public has responded positively to the president's leadership," wrote Harris Interactive Chairman Humphrey Taylor in a summary.

Between Sept. 19 and 23, the Harris Poll conducted a nationwide telephone survey of a cross-section of 1,011 adults. The results, released on Friday, show that Bush's ratings have risen from 63 percent to 68 percent positive in August, with 37 percent negative now down to 30 percent.

Vice President Dick Cheney's ratings showed an even greater improvement -- from 45 percent positive and 43 percent negative in August to 52 percent positive and 37 percent negative now.

The ratings of congressional Republicans have gone up from 41 percent positive to 47 percent positive while 49 percent negative has been reduced to 42 percent negative. The ratings of the Democrats in Congress have also improved, but less so, from 38 percent positive to 42 percent positive, and 54 percent negative becoming 49 percent.

Taylor interprets these figures -- with the GOP winning more positive support than negative criticism, and the Democrats receiving higher negative ratings -- as encouraging signs for the Republicans as the November elections approach.

The scores of several Cabinet secretaries have changed little since August.

Secretary of State Colin Powell -- with 75 percent positive, 18 percent negative ratings -- continues to rank highest of all U.S. political leaders.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's ratings are also little changed at 61 percent positive and 27 percent negative.

Attorney General John Ashcroft's ratings, at 52 percent positive and 32 percent negative, also are almost the same as they were last month.

The pollsters could find no particular events that account for the improvement in the rather poor ratings of Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill -- which rose to 38 percent positive from 33 percent in August, while negative ratings dropped from 38 percent that month to 30 percent positive now.

The ratings of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., (38 percent positive, 38 percent negative) also are significantly better than they were last month (34 percent positive, 43 percent negative). However, the poll was taken before Daschle's recent criticism of the president.

When respondents are asked to rank the most important issues for the government to address, without being shown any list or being prompted, the economy continues to top the list at 28 percent, but this is down somewhat from its score in July and August (33 percent and 32 percent).

The next four issues, however, are terrorism (24 percent), the "war" (14 percent), Iraq/Saddam Hussein (14 percent) and national security (12 percent).

Copyright © 2002 United Press International

[alrea]

the public has said time and again that they do NOT blame Bush for the wobbly economy, which is almost unheard of going into a midterm election, and which is the basis for the old "party in power loses seats in off years" canard.

Jerry Springer fans everywhere see that all the seeds for the bad economy and 911 are planted by Clinton Administration corruption and mismanagement.

[backhoe]

I wonder why they defended (and still defend) Clinton with such vigor

I've thought a lot about that, and the only thing I can come up with is that they invested so much of their own being-ness in supporting him- even against the most awful and credible charges- that they simply can't admit they were as gullible as the Soccer Moms were...

[mwl1]

Nonsense. If we regain the majority, neither Chafee nor Snowe nor McCain will jump. The RATS have nothing to offer them in the minority, and they would lose their seniority entirely.

Jeffords would have never jumped without the assurance of the chairmanship of the Environmental committee.

[fqued]

Right!
I am amazed at the number of people on this thread who think that Chaffee will jump. He is very upset with the democrats for not moving faster and acting with integrity on Bush's judicial nominees, and because of that apparently is no longer considering a move to the democratic party.
Secondly, he sees what we see--Jeffords did not get the dairy support from the democrats that he expected; so even though Jeffords has to say that his switch to independent was the right thing, it really didn't do for him what he expected.
Third, few senators actually switch parties. Those who do, switch from minority to majority. Jeffords is the only one I know of who managed to change the leadership of the senate by switching.

[CaptainK]

I wish I could feel as sure as you.

http://www.insightmag.com/news/273213.html

[mwl1]

You are correct. In addition to your salient points, there is one other intangible at work: senators have experienced first hand that Daschle cannot lead the senate... the whole place is broken, let's face it.

[areafiftyone]

There is a Newsweek poll just out (but its not online yet so I can't post it.) If anyone can get it please post it. Bush's approval rating is at 65% which is great. The support for military action has gone down a little bit but that is to be expected with all the Democreeps on TV bashing Bush back and forth. Bush needs to go on TV more and talk to the American public.

[wardaddy]

Good points all.

[wardaddy]

Yes....I heard that term on MSNBC last night.

I thought to myself.....these idiots don't even know what Chickenhawk stands for in the vernacular....LOL.....they are so pathetic.

I hope this holds and our side doesn't get too complacent. Folks need to get out and vote....and that includes all the small (L)s too.....just hold your nose if you all must....think of the alternative for just a second.

[backhoe]

We have 2 perpetual-motion disruptor-types who call "Straight Talk" all the time. One's a doctor and the other's a lawyer, and they apparently sit by the 'phone from 7-10 every morning, waiting for a chance to jump in and attack the right or defend ( to this day! ) the clintons & their ilk...

They are noted for non-stop yakking from one commercial break to the next, thereby shutting off dissent or challenge, and they seem to have every fresh DNC/DLC talking point ever emailed or faxed to the faithful.

When I heard "Dick" blathering on about the Chickenhawk Database, I was really tempted to call in- but hearing him foam and snarl, I thought, "hey, he's cutting his own throat- let him!"

[WarrenC]

I think it was on MSNBC's Wall Street Journal show last night that one of the commentators said the GOP has 2 Senate seats in danger, but the Dems have 5 seats in danger. Sure hoping all those races go our way. If they do we might actually see some momentum develop for the kind of tax cuts our struggling economy needs.

[Hacksaw]

Remember, we only need ONE senate seat and Daschle, Hillary, Kennedy and the rest of the socialist crowd will be spending the Christmas season cleaning out their desks. Of course, I'd feel more comfortable if the GOP picked up several senate seats and that is indeed possible.

The rats will not give up control easily. Be vigilant.

[hchutch]

But if the war becomes the national issue (64%) and those who vote on the war go to the GOP by a wide margin (call it a 60-40 margin), doesn't that help pull Allard and Hutchinson up?

This is gonna be bad for the Dems.

[HitmanLV]

And don't forget, the new Republican leadership in the Senate should savagely punish Jeffords at every turn. He can't get away with his stunt. I hope he likes his new friends, because his old friends better smash him into nothingness and inefectiveness.

[kylaka]

Also, don't forget, only a small fraction of Clinton's misdeeds were reported by the left wing media. I doubt he would garner much sympathy from soccer moms if they knew he was a rapist.

[sasquatch]

her SPECIAL OFFICE

This one??

http://www.strangecosmos.com/view.asp?PicID=6265

[aristeides]

Jeffords would have never jumped without the assurance of the chairmanship of the Environmental committee.

That was part of the carrot, no doubt, but I believe there was also a stick.

[aristeides]

Nobody is unaware that Clinton evaded military service, and sent our military into action. That makes him a chickenhawk, in the leftists' terms. But for some reason they give him a pass on that, when they seem to regard it as an outrage in Republicans.

[Salvation]

Bumping the good news.

[Mo1]

WIPE THE SMILE OFF OF THIS MAN'S FACE.

VOTE THE RATS OUT!!

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