Poll Shows Support for Kerry Weakens on Issues and Attributes(Iraq-fear-?) [View All]

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http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/Vote2004/kerry_poll_040726.html

Poll Shows Support for Kerry Weakens on Issues and Attributes

Analysis By Gary Langer

July 26, 2004— <snip>Kerry has lost support against Bush in trust to handle five of six issues tested in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll (by telephone July 22-25 among a random national sample of 1,202 adults, including 909 registered voters, MOE 3%) including terrorism, Iraq, taxes and even health care. And Kerry's ratings on personal attributes — honesty, strong leadership, consistency, empathy and others — have softened as well.<snip>

The bottom line has shifted only very subtly. Head-to-head, the Massachuestts senator has slipped from a slight lead in late June to a dead heat today, with 49 percent support for Bush and 48 percent for Kerry among registered voters. Including Ralph Nader, it's 48 percent-46 percent-3 percent. <snip>

But perceptions on policy and personality are more important than horse-race standings at this stage, and there Kerry has work to do. He has a crucial chance to regain momentum as he accepts the Democratic nomination this week: Fewer than half of registered voters, 46 percent, say they have a good idea where he stands on the issues, a huge 28 points behind Bush. That represents opportunity, if Kerry can deliver a message that resonates. <snip>

An improving economy and the handover of authority in Iraq are among the likely factors influencing these assessments. So, too, is the attention focused on terrorism by the release of the Sept. 11 commission report last week. The nation's response to 9/11 has been Bush's finest hour in public approval; focus on it accrues to his advantage.<snip>