War in Iraq Becomes Liability for Bush

[cal04]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Once his greatest political asset, President Bush's leadership of the war against terror is becoming a potential liability.

False prewar claims about Saddam Hussein's arsenal, mounting U.S. casualties and now the sickening images of prisoner abuse in Iraq threaten to turn Americans against the war -- and against the self-professed ``wartime president.''

If the bad news continues through Election Day and Democratic rival John Kerry convinces voters he's a safe alternative -- two big ifs -- the incumbent could be at risk, experts say. Neither is a sure bet.

With newspapers and television screens filled with horrific pictures of prisoner abuse, Bush's approval rating is at the lowest of his presidency. Most voters are disappointed with the way things are going in the country. And, for the first time, Americans are divided on whether Bush or Kerry would better handle Iraq.

All bad signs for the commander in chief.

Why isn't Bush in more trouble? Democratic and Republican strategists offer several explanations:

-- Kerry is an uneven candidate who has failed to take advantage of Bush's slump. What little voters know about the Democrat is largely negative, thanks to a multimillion-dollar White House ad campaign.

-- Dangerous times make voters wary of change. Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran, has just begun to introduce himself to Americans and flesh out his anti-terrorism policies.

-- The nation is divided, with about 45 percent strongly behind Bush and 45 percent firmly supporting Kerry. Undecided voters are likely to withhold judgment until late in the campaign, when they know more about Kerry and the state of the nation.

``They need to soak everything in over time. What they're saying is, 'We have doubts about the president, but we also have doubts about John Kerry,''' said Democratic pollster Doug Schoen.

``There are still many Republicans and independents who are rallying around the commander in chief,'' he said.


http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Bush-Wartime-Woes.html

[grasswire]

1. hmm

Written by AP reporter Ron Fournier. It will be interesting to see which way he swings now.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. "still many Republicans and independents rallying around Bush"

I guarantee you that's a glass half empty.

[HFishbine]

5. Many independents rallying around Bush

Is 40% "many?"

http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Ok translation

Bush is in deep doodooo andKerry is doing very well...

But we cannot tell you this, really

[displacedtexan]

4. Kerry is uneven?

-- Kerry is an uneven candidate who has failed to take advantage of Bush's slump. What little voters know about the Democrat is largely negative, thanks to a multimillion-dollar White House ad campaign.
***

Could that possibly have anything to do with the fact that CNN devoted just over 7 minutes of air time to JK yesterday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.? In fact, most of the 7 mins. of coverage yesterday had JK in the background while a Hairdo talked about Bush*.

There is a well defined media wall separating JK from the American public.

Disgusting.