Yet another laspe of mental clarity....

I've also noticed that my commonwealth seems to have had another laspe of mental clarity.

*Thinks back to that IDIOTIC thread where tequila told me that my campaigning for Bush in PA would be in vain*

06/24/04: Bush Edges Kerry
Thursday, June 24, 2004

ARCHIVE
•06/10/2004: Bush, Kerry Still Closely Matched
June 24, 2004•06/24/04: Bush Edges Kerry
June 24, 2004•Poll: Public Views Clinton Favorably
June 18, 2004•Poll: Will Peterson Get Off Scott-Free?
June 16, 2004•Poll: Slim Majority Approves of Bush Job Performance
June 15, 2004•Poll: Most Americans Ready for Summer
May 28, 2004•Poll: Little Movement in Bush-Kerry Matchup
May 19, 2004•Six Months Out, Race Still a Draw
May 05, 2004•Kerry Blasts Bush on Trade Agreements
April 26, 2004•2004 Race Still Close
April 22, 2004•Bush Beats Heinz Kerry in First Lady 'Vote'
April 22, 2004•Poll: U.S. Gas Prices Expected to Rise
April 21, 2004•The 2004 Deadlock
April 07, 2004•Voters Still Evenly Divided
March 24, 2004•Bush, Kerry in Early Dead Heat
March 04, 2004•Poll Shows Bush, Kerry in Dead Heat
February 19, 2004•Poll: Could 2004 Election Be as Close as 2000?
February 05, 2004•Kerry Closes In on Bush
January 22, 2004•Bush Numbers Up at Start of Election Year
January 08, 2004•Voters Divided on Bush Future
December 04, 2003•Poll: Bush, Iraq and the Economy
November 19, 2003•Bush Still Bests 2004 Democratic Contenders
November 19, 2003•Tight Race Between Bush and Unnamed Democrat
October 29, 2003•2004 Democratic Candidates Still Mostly Unknown
October 15, 2003
Even as insurgents increase their attacks in the days leading up to the June 30 handover, the public’s belief that going to war with Iraq was the right thing to do is holding steady. Majorities believe there was a partnership between Saddam and Al Qaeda, and that military action abroad is necessary to protect from having to fight terrorists on U.S. soil. In addition, brightening impressions on the condition of the economy helped President Bush improve his standing against Democrat John Kerry this week, according to a Fox News poll released Thursday.

President Bush currently has an advantage over Democratic candidate John Kerry in both the two-way matchup and three-way matchups. If the election were held today, the poll finds Bush at 48 percent and Kerry at 42 percent. When independent candidate Ralph Nader is included he receives three percent, Bush 47 percent and Kerry 40 percent.

Opinion Dynamics Corporation conducted the national poll of 900 registered voters for Fox News on June 22-23.

As has been the case since the end of the primary season, Bush’s strength of support is much higher than Kerry’s. Fully 75 percent of Bush voters say they support him "strongly" and 25 percent say "only somewhat." Among Kerry voters, just over half — 53 percent — say they support him "strongly" and 45 percent say "only somewhat."

Significantly more voters think Bush would do a better job than Kerry protecting the United States from terrorist attacks (49 percent to 28 percent). On the nation’s economy, Bush and Kerry are evenly matched with each receiving 42 percent. Bush has an 11-percentage point edge over Kerry when voters are asked which candidate is "more honest and trustworthy," although 12 percent volunteer "neither."

The issue voters say will influence their decision the most is the economy (26 percent), followed by health care (16 percent), terrorism (10 percent), homeland security (eight percent), education (six percent) and Social Security (six percent).

Regardless of how they plan to vote, half of the public believes Bush is going to win in November, 30 percent believe Kerry will win and 20 percent are unsure or think it is too early to say.

The president’s overall job approval rating is 49 percent, which is about where it has been holding for the last four months. On specific issue areas, Bush receives his highest approval rating on the issue of terrorism. Today, 52 percent approve of Bush’s job performance on handling terrorism, down from 67 percent at the beginning of the year and a high of 73 percent in May 2003.

On both handling the situation with Iraq and managing the economy, more Americans disapprove than approve of Bush’s performance. Today, 46 percent approve and 49 percent disapprove of the job Bush is doing managing the economy.

During the course of the war, the president’s ratings on his handling of the situation with Iraq have fluctuated significantly. Currently 45 percent approve and 49 percent disapprove of Bush’s job performance on Iraq. At the beginning of the year, soon after the capture of Saddam Hussein, 57 percent of Americans approved and 35 percent disapproved.

"While the president holds a slender lead, this is a very close and volatile race," comments Opinion Dynamics President John Gorman. "The race is still more a referendum on Bush's performance than a race between the two men. Kerry will have to try to use the Democratic Convention to get the voters to start comparing the candidates — and hope that he comes out favorably in the comparison."

Economy The president’s recent gains over Kerry may be attributed, in part, to improved perceptions on the condition of the economy. Nearly half, 47 percent, think the economy is getting stronger, up from 36 percent in April. On the job situation, 31 percent think it is getting better, 26 percent worse and 39 percent the same.

Twice as many people rate their personal financial situation positively as negatively, with 62 percent saying their situation is "excellent" or "good." Just over a third (36 percent) rate their financial situation as "only fair" or "poor."

Key Battleground States In addition to the national poll, Fox News conducted statewide registered voter polls this week in four battleground states: Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

President Bush does best in Florida, where optimism about economic conditions is higher than in other key states.

The Economy
Getting stronger Not getting stronger
Florida 49% 36
Michigan 32% 57
Ohio 32% 58
Pennsylvania 30% 56


Bush tops Kerry by nine percentage points in a head-to-head matchup in Florida and by 10 points when Nader is included.

Bush and Kerry are most closely matched in Michigan, with Bush at 42 percent, Kerry at 40 percent and Nader at five percent (his highest level of support in the states tested). In the two-way Michigan race Bush and Kerry are virtually tied, with Kerry up by only one percent.

In Ohio and Pennsylvania, the race is also well within the poll’s margin of error. In Ohio, Bush is chosen over Kerry by a 45 percent to 41 percent margin, with Nader at four percent. Bush has a slight five-percentage point edge over Kerry in Pennsylvania, with Nader at three percent.

Iraq and the War on Terror More Americans continue to think going to war with Iraq was the right thing to do. Unchanged since early April, today 50 percent think going to war was the right thing to do and 42 percent say it was the wrong thing. A year ago, 65 percent said it was the right thing to do.

Even so, a plurality is skeptical about Iraq’s chance of establishing a democracy in the long term. By 42 percent to 34 percent, Americans think Iraq is more likely to be governed by a dictatorship than by a freely elected government five years from now.

Last week the bipartisan commission investigating the 9/11 attacks said it did not find credible evidence of a "collaborative relationship" between Saddam’s regime and the Al Qaeda terror network. The poll finds that twice as many Americans believe that there was a partnership between Iraq and Al Qaeda when Saddam was in power than that there was no working relationship (56 percent and 28 percent).

"It is notable that while many critics have seen the 9/11 commission reports as hurting the administration, they may actually have helped with the voters," comments Gorman. "The commission is saying something that a majority of Americans don't believe, while the president has been given the platform to repeat his belief in something they do believe. Right or wrong, he's preaching to the choir."

There is a huge partisan divide on this issue, with 73 percent of Republicans believing there was a partnership between Iraq and Al Qaeda, compared to 38 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of independents.

A strong majority thinks it is likely that Saddam had prior knowledge of the September 11 attacks. Over two-thirds of Americans (68 percent) think it is "very" or "somewhat" likely Saddam knew about the attacks, while 23 percent think it is "not very" or "not at all" likely the former Iraqi leader knew about the plans.

By a wide margin, the public agrees with the Bush administration’s view that fighting terrorists abroad will help keep from having to fight terrorists on U.S. soil. By 63 percent to 26 percent Americans agree that military action in Iraq and Afghanistan is necessary to protect the United States.

Finally, a majority thinks it is "very" or "somewhat" likely terrorists will try to disrupt the presidential election this year with a major attack on the United States (62 percent likely, 29 percent unlikely).

Polling was conducted by telephone June 22-23, 2004 in the evenings. The total national sample is 900 registered voters nationwide, with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points. Results are of registered voters, unless otherwise noted. LV = likely voters

In addition, 750 registered voters were interviewed in each of the following four statewide polls (±4): Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The "Battlegrounds" subgroup includes the following 15 states: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The remaining non-battleground states are divided into "Red States" (voted for Bush in 2000) and "Blue States" (gave their electoral votes to Gore).

• Pdf: Click here for full poll results.

E-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY FOXFAN

Fear not my republican friend, the U.S. has never, i repeat never voted out a sitting president in a time of war. Even when Nixon was enthralled in the grip of watergate during the 1972 election season he won handily. In addition to that fact, the more people get to know kerry the more they hate him. Tequila represents the rabid liberal well but they are no more than 20 % of the population. They are so loud though they feel like 50 %. Thank God volume doesn't translate into votes. Remember that the average democrat is not the problem, they are still loyal americans. The liberal socialist is the true enemy and threat to our future but they have no teeth. They are like a snarling old dog barking as loud as they can to scare off the young dogs who are in their prime. The old dog knows he has no teeth but he will aggressively attack to protect his turf untill his dyeing breath. We have all seen it, it's sad really.

Yes, good points.

But do you believe as many do that the dem party has been hijacked by the radical left?

I've started to doubt our country's resolve to fight the war on terror, don't even get me started on the dems will to fight it.

GOP, like i said, with the liberal media and the rabid liberals out there everyday, it feels like they are taking hold with the voting public but the ballot box will prove my point. The so called reagan democrat is really a consciencious american who is as afraid of liberal socialism as the conservative and they don't want the power they now hold to be handed over to the U.N. as kerry will do. Even if they dissagree with iraq, they agree with bush that it is better to fight there than here. They will not forsake national security to a man who will tell detroit auto makers he loves his SUVs but the earth first crowd his wife owns the SUVs just one month later. He is a liar and a hypocrite and america knows it. Oh by the way, he is also a LOSER who has commited treason during nam and america knows that too.

How misinformed could you be. Are you just stupid. Bush is the worst thing to happen to the US since slavery. or maybe you right wing red neck losers think that wasnt wrong. There is no comparison between bush and kerry. Bush is a liar and simply an idiot, who has caused all this ###### to start with. So don't praise what he is doing for the country. Who do you think is going to payoff all this debt. Before you think of voting for Bush get a catscan. The man has caused enough problems and uncertainty in four years imagine another 4 years. Scary!!

Easy there Mack, make your point in a civil manner, no name calling please.

Is that you again Thaiquila?

John L:
You have made an extremely kooky comment here.
Why would I bother making up alternative identities?
I am perfectly happy posting as Thaiquila.

It is both sad and typical of the liberal socialist to attack and name call with no facts to back your arguments up. I compared you in another post to an old toothless dog who barks and snarls loudly to scare off the other dogs in hopes that they wont challenge him for his turf.

The democratic party is much like that old dog with no teeth but a loud bark, but no bite. They will lie cheat and steal to win back power they abused and misused for the 40 years that they had it. You may be too young mackin, or too uninformed to know the facts but it's never too late to learn.

Let me ask you mackin, would you like to pay a world tax to the united nations to support an army of weapon weilding foriegners walking the streets of the U.S. telling you how to live ? NO ? Then vote for bush. not kerry.

Do you want to pay 32% of your pay in taxes or 48 % in taxes by the end of 2005 ? If you don't, vote bush not kerry.

Now rather than call me stupid, debate with facts and i will respond accordingly.

P.S. It was the DEMOCRATIC party that fought the civil war to keep slavery intact. Lincoln was the first REPUBLICAN president and believed that one man owning another human being was against all of the principles this country was founded on and if not abolished would lead to our eventual demise as a nation. The democrats believed the savings in labor costs justified the practice. So why are you a democrat again ?

Yes!

A really ignorant liberal!

Tequila on VERY few ocassions at least had some real facts in his accusations, but you clearly have NO CLUE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

-George Walker Bush has FREED OVER 50 MILLION PEOPLE FROM TWO OF THE MOST EVIL TYRANNICAL REGIMES ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

-George Walker Bush has planted the SEEDS OF FREEDOM in a region THAT HAS NEVER REALLY KNOWN IT.

-George Walker Bush has rallied the U.S. and the world against global terrorism.

And that's just foreign policy.......

-Thanks largely to BUSH'S TAX CUTS, WE NOW HAVE THE FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY IN ALMOST 30 YEARS AND THE FASTEST GROWING OF ANY MAJOR INDUSTRIALZED NATION ON EARTH.

-ALMOST TWO MILLION NEW JOBS CREATED.

I could go on, but you'll get the picture, unless of course you're blindly partisan or just in denial.

-George Bush has also taken it upon himself to DEFEND YOU AND I FROM DERRANGED RADICAL-LEFT ATHEIST JUDGES WHO WANT THIS NATION TO LOOK LIKE HOLLAND OR FRANCE.

Sir, it's OBVIOUS THAT YOU'RE BLINDED BY BUSH HATE.

I feel sorry for you, you will be PULLING YOUR HAIR OUT when history vindicates him as one of the best Presidents we've ever had, unless the radical left totally takes over this country.

My, haven't had to unload like that in quite a while.......

GOP: "My, haven't had to unload like that in quite a while......."

Oh, so THAT explains your repressed politics. Roughage, my man. If that doesn't work, there is always dried prunes.

It sounds like you are just repeating the propoganda from the Bush campaign website.

1. Your claim of freeing people from tyrannical regimes is very charming, but surely you remember that this so called freeing was never the reason that was used to sell the wars. Afghanistan and Iraq are also too totally separate cases. It is part of the Bush agenda to put them together, more deception and lies.

2. The world is considerably more dangerous because of the actions of Bush. The Iraq war was an unneccesary diversion and the international credibility of America under Bush is worthless.

3. It is still a net jobless recovery, and Bush has still lost MILLIONS of jobs under his regime when you factor in the whole term of his regime. Also, the quality of these new jobs is dramatically lower than the Clinton era jobs. Less pay, less benefits, if any. Also, the millions who exhausted their unemployment benefits are not shown anymore in the statistics.

4. You have a right to oppose legal abortion and oppose equal rights for homosexuals. It is hard to argue these issues as they are such hot buttons. So in your case, Bush is your man on your side of these issues.

Please

You can't deny that those people are free, reguardless of the reason that we went in.

Get a chance to take a gander at that new document revealing yet more of the relationship between Bin Laden and Hussein?

Also, I still believe that the WMD'S are out there. We've found small smoking guns already.

We are killing terrorist after terrorist, when Iraq becomes sovereign, the terrorists will have lost a huge battle. Iraq will no longer be funding, equiping, and haboring them.

Bush has has much success in his diplomacy with North Korea.

Libya has caved.

America under Bush is an actual force for freedom and good in this otherwise dark world.

I know appeasement and retreat are standard liberal operating procedure, but you better get used to it because Bush isn't going anywhere.

Too funny!

You sound so much like your lying pessemestic candidate, the desperation, you know that the economy has been lost as an issue to you, so you talk about "what kind" of jobs, or "the pay"

You can't deny that this is the strongest and fastest growing economy that we've had in almost 30 years.

If this continues, we will have net gains in jobs by the end of this year, maybe earlier, unless Kerry with his magic math tragically get elected.

Unemployment under Bush has been significantly lower than under Billiary.

Cheers....

how blinded are you gop, dont you realize afghanistan and iraq are separate issues. There is a huge difference to the reasons your faithfull leader invaded, WITHOUT PROOF., with the intelligence of the US, IF THERE WERE ANY WMD, it would have been found. But to date still nothing. TO DATE how can you still believe there is some there. If your trailer park buddy gets reelected you will find out all the truth about these tax cuts. Sure its great now, then again it is election time. Within 1 year at least double that is going to be taken back through various essential programs being taken away. And at that point I look forward to an apology. Why preach diplomacy with North Korea now, the situation is worse than Iraq, they have admitted having WMD, but you know why your honky leader doesnt invade, North Korea would be a fight, and the casualties are tooo much to bare. Its all about money and oil, thats the Iraq situation.

*Yawns*

Sir how old are you?

IRAQ IS A FRONT ON THE WAR ON TERRORISM SIR.

Didn't get a chance to take a gander at that latest document detailing their relationship I see.

Really now, the evidence is everywhere.

So let me get this straight, you actually think that Saddam didn't habor, equip, or fund terrorists at all?

I believe the WMD are in Syria, makes perfect sense also, they are a rogue nation that will support Islamfacists however they can.

Also, we've found small smoking guns in Iraq already, not to mention the labs for manufacturing them.

On top of that, every former regime scientist that I've heard from has said that without a doubt, those WMDS are there.

Keep thinking that Iraq was only about money and oil, pipr dreams must be nice, hey, how about that other one where that flaming arrogant lying liberal JFKerry actually gets elected, LOL! That's a good one!

Hey GOP....

As a concerned Democrat, I must say I do believe my party has begun to be hitch hiked by a very leftist crew. Sadly I am seeing my party become a party that is too concerned with those who do not want to help themselves rather those who simply may not be able to.

John Kennedy said in his inagural "ask not what your country can do for you..ask what you can do for your country". Could you imagine a majority of Democrats getting this point today? Sadly, I think not.


My party, in the end will survive. I personally will do all I can to make that happen, but I am only one person at this point. I want to do all I can to help my country, and, in turn, my children.

However, step one in that process is to teach my children responsibility, to appreciate the work of those who defend our freedoms around the world, and to be thankful to God for the rights we have.

Unfortunately, I must also teach them to beware of those who feel that government exists to be a handout machine for those who feel they are always "owed" something. I refuse to make my school aged son to take spanish in school as they demand (they feel he SHOULD learn it) until the spanish students who REFUSE to speak english, or learn to so first.

I will fight for programs for the truly needy, but AGAINST programs that equate to a transfer of wealth (out of my paycheck) to assist those who simply refuse to help themselves.

It is, and will be a long hard fight...but I am up for it....and, if, in the end I must switch parties to make my point I may. But I am the eternal optimist yet, so I will fight the good fight, and try to restore dignity to my party somewhere down the line.

Speaking of that, Pauley, did you know that Senator Zell Miller is going to be a major speaker at the Republican Convention, and Mayor Ed Koch is cutting commercials for GW in light of the convention being in NY?

Excellent, real Dems are starting to speak up against the radical-left socialists that have hijacked their once noble party.

God speed to them....

Zell Miller is NOT a real democrat.
He is a TRAITOR to the party and a DISGUSTING EMBARRASSMENT.

Tequila, please try to understand, ZELL MILLER IS NOT A SOCIALIST.

I know that a democrat who actually wants to defend this great country from terror and is a capitalist is hard for you to swallow, I'll give you some time....

No, you are wrong.
If Miller had an ounce of personal integrity, he would switch parties and become a republican, which is fine with me. But he remains a democrat and does not support democratic issues, or even our honorable future war hero President John F. Kerry. What a weak hypocrite. He has no right calling himself what he is not.

Modern Democratic issues like environmental extremism and terror appeasement, right....

When in doubt, accuse the other side of SUPPORTING TERRORISM.
Your side is SHAMELESS and this kind of low politicking brings a very bad taste to mainstream American, and will bring the downfall of your illegitimate power.
Send the moron back to Texas!

Good luck Pauly....

You're party was once very great, please don't give up, more dems, REAL DEMS like Zell Miller will rally to your cause.

Well, I see we know the mesaage is true, so we shoot at the messanger.

LOL, Bush is a moron, illegitimate power, sir please put the doobie down.