Study: Terror Warnings Up Bush Approval Ratings

[DrFunkenstein]

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - When the government issues a terror warning, the president's approval rating increases an average of nearly three points, a Cornell University sociologist says.

"The social theories predict it, and anecdotally we know it to be true. Now we have statistical science to confirm it," said Robb Willer, assistant director of Cornell's Sociology and Small Groups Laboratory.

On average, a terror warning prompted a 2.75 point increase in President George Bush's approval rating the following week, said Willer, who published his study in Current Research in Social Psychology, a peer-reviewed online journal.

"From the perspective of social identity theory, threats of attacks from foreigners increase solidarity and in-group identification among Americans, including feelings of stronger solidarity with their leadership," he said.

Terror warnings increased presidential approval ratings "consistently," Willer said. However, he said he was unable to measure how long the increase lasted.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=6&u=/ap/20041026/ap_on_re_us/terror_warnings_popularity

[flyingfysh]

1. so we will go to red by Monday?

[deadparrot]

2. So *'s supposedly going to keep us safer...

but when his incompetence leads to a terrorist "threat," his approval ratings jump?

I'll never get it.

[qanda]

3. Are those robots in that picture?

And where did you get it?

[DrFunkenstein]

6. They Almost Seem Like A Parody

But if you want photos, Yahoo is a great source for AP and Reuters.

http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/search?p=bush&ei=UTF-8&n=20&fl=0&c=news_photos

[tridim]

8. I got demons runnin' all through me!

Didn't feel like starting a new thread for this pic, so I'll put it here.

[DrFunkenstein]

10. Is that a reference to Beetlejuice?

[tridim]

12. Yup.. :)

[tridim]

4. Geez, that pic of the adoring Bush fan

It illustrates exactly what's wrong with America.

[durablend]

7. Pathetic!

:puke:

[newyawker99]

13. This pic is really disturbing!

:puke:

[Cocoa]

5. but warnings are nothing like the real thing

9/11 is the best thing that ever happened to Bush's numbers.

[gavodotcom]

9. Found the original.

[SoCalDemocrat]

11. ahahhaha

Nice. Thanks.

[semillama]

15. This does beg the question, however:

Why has it been so long since the terra alert has been raised? Bush's approval ratings have been in the tank for a while? I think perhaps the stratergy of *'s team is that if they raise the terror alert from Mothra to Monster Zero (bonus points for recognizing the reference), it will seem like the shrub isn't protecting America.

I'm betting that when * loses next week, the terror alert level goes to red and stays there through January.

[DrFunkenstein]

18. Oh no....Ghidrah!!!

(damn I wish I could post images!)

[TruthWins]

14. Look for a Terra lert on the way... n/t

[NicRic]

16. Why ,such backwards thinking ?

If we have higher terror alerts ,would that not be proof that bush is not doing a good job of protecting us. How dumb can one be ,that a White House running for re-election and releasing terror alerts, have nothing to do with trying to gain votes ? These peaple are seriously mentally challenged !!!

[Supersedeas]

17. in a close race....Rove wonders if there is time for one more of these