Newsview: "Bush Loses Ground on War on Terror"

[flpoljunkie]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45031-2004Apr2.html

By WILL LESTER
The Associated Press
Friday, April 2, 2004; 1:11 PM


WASHINGTON - President Bush's high marks for waging war on terrorism have been the bedrock of his popularity and his re-election campaign. Traditionally, commander in chief is the cornerstone for any incumbent, and this president is no exception.

But recently, Bush's image as the wartime steward has taken a hit, from former counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke's compelling testimony that the Bush administration ignored the terrorist threat for months to the president's insistence - then reversal - that national security adviser Condoleezza Rice won't testify before the Sept. 11 commission.

In that time, polls show Bush's strength on handling terrorism has eroded, although a majority of voters still believe he is better equipped to deal with the issue than his Democratic rival, John Kerry.

<>When asked in an Associated Press-Ipsos poll March 19-21 whom they would trust to do a better job of protecting the country, 58 percent said Bush and 35 percent said Kerry. Other polls since then have shown a similar Bush advantage.

Those in the AP-Ipsos poll most likely to prefer Bush on terrorism were men, Republicans, married people and those who most wanted a candidate who stands up for what he believes. Even one-fourth of Democrats preferred Bush to handle terrorism.

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I find this last sentence astounding. are these Zell Miller Democrats or is it the sad fact that we are such an uninformed, and easily led people. Or, perhaps, Richard Clark's testimony has not yet sunk in to the mostly uninformed masses.