Poll: GOP Losing Edge on Foreign Policy Issues

[ProSense]

Politics

Poll: GOP Losing Edge on Foreign Policy Issues

by Mara Liasson

Morning Edition, March 17, 2006 · A new poll of likely voters finds that President Bush and his party no longer have the advantage on issues of foreign policy and national security, which they used to dominate.

The poll, conducted for NPR by a Republican and a Democratic pollster, suggests that the ongoing instability in Iraq, the Dubai ports deal, job outsourcing and other global issues in the news lately appear to be weighing heavily on voters' minds in this midterm election year.

Republican pollster Glen Bolger says that, from his perspective, the results are a "bunch of ugly numbers."

The poll found the president's approval rating at 39 percent. Of the 58 percent of respondents who said they disapprove, a whopping 45 percent "disapprove strongly." When asked what pollsters call the generic ballot question -- "If the election were held today, would you vote for the Democrat or the Republican candidate?" -- those surveyed favored Democrats by one of the largest margins in decades, 52 percent to 37 percent. (That's a bigger margin than Republicans enjoyed just before they captured the House in 1994).

"This is not the only poll that is showing significant problems for Republicans on the generic ballot, significant problems for the president," Bolger says.

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http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5284936

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1. DNC: Republican Homeland In-Security Watch No. 9: Border Security

DNC: Republican Homeland In-Security Watch No. 9: Border Security

2 hours, 41 minutes ago

To: National Desk

Contact: Karen Finney of the Democratic National Committee, 202-863-8148

WASHINGTON, March 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following "Republican Homeland In-Security Watch" was released today by the Democratic National Committee:

Karl Rove and the Republicans argue that the issue of security will propel them to victory in 2006, but the truth is Republican leaders have been weak on security. Four years after 9/11, President Bush and Republicans in Congress have demonstrated a pre-9/11 mentality and made the wrong choices, which have not made America safer. In fact, according to recent national polls, the American people no longer believe Republicans can keep them secure.

Each day, the Democratic National Committee will issue a "Republican Homeland In-Security Watch" to spotlight specific security lapses that have occurred under the watch of the Bush White House and the Bush-led Republican Congress. Today, the DNC focuses on the Republican failures to improve border security.

Border Security: DHS Gets "C-"

DHS Report Card: Bush Administration Gets A "C-" On Border Security. The Democratic Staff of the Committee on Homeland Security's annual report card on the Department of Homeland Security gave the department a "C-" on its policies on border security. According to the committee, "Department urgently needs a comprehensive border security strategy for identifying and securing the nation's most porous and vulnerable land borders and ports of entry. At the same time, the Department must develop a comprehensive vision for border screening that harmonizes and integrates the many initiatives underway." (Democratic Staff of the Committee on Homeland Security, Annual Report Card, 2/06)

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20060317/pl_usnw/dnc__republican_homeland_in_security_watch_no9__border_security130_xml