Prometheus 6

Nation's Direction Prompts Voters' Concern, Poll Finds

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JANET ELDER

Published: March 16, 2004

eorge Bush and John Kerry enter the general election at a time of growing concern among Americans that the nation is veering in the wrong direction, the latest New York Times/CBS News poll shows. Mr. Bush faces unrest over his management of the economy, while the public has doubts about Mr. Kerry's political convictions.

Americans do view Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry as strong leaders who share their moral values and have a clear vision of where they want to take the country, the poll found.

But while the candidates are starting on roughly equal ground on those critical generic measures of leadership, the poll found that nearly half of respondents have not yet formed an opinion about Mr. Kerry. That result suggests that Mr. Bush has an opening to mold public opinion of his largely unknown challenger.

Already, most voters think Mr. Kerry is a politician who says what people want to hear, the poll found, rather than what he believes —the line of attack Mr. Bush has used against him in speeches.

The last quoted line is right interesting, I think.Let's take a look at the poll question which lead to that line.

63. Do you think John Kerry says what he really believes most of the time, or does he say what he thinks people want to hear?

	What he believes	What people want to hear	DK/NA
3/10-14/04*	33	57

Now let's compare that to the equivalent question about Bush.

49. Do you think George W. Bush says what he really believes most of the time, or does he say what he thinks people want to hear?

	What he believes	What people want to hear	DK/NA
3/10-14/04*	51	45	4

Hm. Not that big a gap.

How about another couple of comparisons?

57. How much do you think John Kerry cares about the needs and problems of people like yourself -- a lot, some, not much, or none at all?

	A lot	Some	Not much	None	DK/NA
3/10-14/04*	25	45	11	10	9

43. How much do you think George W. Bush cares about the needs and problems of people like you -- a lot, some, not much or none at all?

	A lot	Some	Not much	None	DK/NA
3/10-14/04*	28	35	19	17	1

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59. Do you think John Kerry has strong qualities of leadership, or not?

	Has	Does not have	DK/NA
3/10-14/04*	61	27	12

45. Do you think George W. Bush has strong qualities of leadership, or not?

	Has	Does not have	DK/NA
3/10-14/04*	67	32	2

Again, don't bank on pundits and polls this year. Just note the spin.