NewsView: Bush loses ground on terror

[onehandle]

April 2, 2004  |  WASHINGTON (AP) -- 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.

snip...

But Bush's approval rating on handling terrorism dropped from 70 percent to 57 percent between January and March in a Newsweek poll released last weekend. Other polls have shown his approval dropping from the mid 60s to the high 50s during the winter.

Bush has lost little ground in the last two months among Republicans on the terrorism issue, but he lost 23 percentage points among Democrats and 13 points among independents in that poll.

http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2004/04/02/bush_terror/index.html

[Homer12]

1. Let me guess

They'll send more troops to Afgahnistan now to find Bin Laden and then produce Bin Laden in October.

[underpants]

2. What's funny is that even the mainstream media is saying UBL is irrelevant

at this point. I do think W should try to..you know do like Clinton and actually arrest someone responsible for that horrible day.

[Homer12]

3. The fact is, is that...

....Al-Quadia was/and is a template for other Fundamentalist Religous Extremists that do not need centeralized control. Although they all need money.

After we first attacked Afhgannistan ruining their Taliban refuge, the orginzation quickly morphed, evoloved, adpated, becuase any angery group can now call themselves Al-Quadia.

Bin Laden Dead or captured alive is in itself a no win situtaion for the USA, becuase these groups don't need him or use him in death as a martyr, in a trial as a victim a hero that stood against the USA, etc....

I'm not saying we do nothing, but Bushco made it even worse by playing into them.

[ima_sinnic]

4. I agree . . . the capture of Hussein had no effect and neither will

the capture or killing of bin Laden.

I have come to picture the operation of al Qaeda to be like that of Earth First!--there is no central HQ, only cells of very comitted activists.

[aquart]

6. I hope we never get him.

Idiot doesn't deserve to be a martyr. And anything we do now will look bad. We've lost our right to claim injured innocents.

[KansDem]

5. I don't understand this...

...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.

How can "voters" believe this??? How can Bush possibly be "better equipped" than Kerry on dealing with terrorism??? How can media-created AWOL deal better with (the war on) terrorism than Vietnam Vet and Hero??? How can ANYONE possibly believe Bush is a "better choice" considering the damaging information coming (finally) to light about 9/11 and the Iraq war, and all of the lies, lies, lies that perpetuated this travesty??? And what does "better equipped" mean considering all the colossal foulups since BushCo stole the White House???

And how can "voters" believe this when their "War President" and "Leader in the Fight against Terrorism" cannot appear before the 9/11 Commission without having Dick Cheney there to hold his hand???

I'm at a loss for words...:shrug:

[0007]

7. I'm at a loss for words also -

Can your minds eye project a scene where junior and Danny Quail came before an Investigation Committee together?

Rock meet Ground.

[ima_sinnic]

8. the dumbass voters apparently believe even a fraudulent,

misguided, incendiary and criminally insane invasion of a defenseless sovereign nation is "doing something" about terrorism. They seem to lack the wisdom and vision to imagine any other "solution" (I use the word mockingly) to terrorism than war.

[rustydog]

9. His plan for fighting terror was missile defense increases

Bush didn't want anything to get in the way of invading iraq.
9-11 occurred, distracted him a bit but refocused on Iraq and missile defense strategies.
That is called Dropping The Ball.

Attacking the character of persons who are coming forth with the truth does NOT change the truth one bit.

bush is a complete dismal failure as President in every avenue you choose to take in judging his so-called accomplishments to date.

[Bandit]

10. lost 23 percentage points among Democrats

Does that put him in negative numbers among Democrats? I just can't believe many Democrats could actually support him to any degree what-so-ever. Are we really such a nation of imbeciles?