Defining Kerry

Bush Scores Points By Defining Kerry By Dan Balz, Washington Post

Kerry officials acknowledge that the Bush campaign tactics over the past month have hurt. ”The Bush people dumped $20 million of negative ads on our heads; it’s going to have an impact,” said Steve Elmendorf, Kerry’s deputy campaign manager. …

A CNN-USA Today-Gallup Poll showed Bush leading 49 percent to 46 percent among registered voters, compared with a Kerry edge of 50 percent to 45 percent just after Super Tuesday. A Pew Research Center poll showed Kerry leading Bush 47 percent to 46 percent, down from 52 percent to 43 percent in mid-March. …

Bush’s overall approval rating moved up to 53 percent in the CNN-USA Today-Gallup Poll, after dipping to 49 percent a month ago. Meanwhile, his favorable/unfavorable ratings, which strategists watch closely as leading indicators of voters’ attitudes, held steady at about 57 percent favorable and 41 percent unfavorable. Kerry’s favorable dipped from 60 percent to 53 percent over the past month, and his unfavorable rating rose from 26 percent to 36 percent. …

[T]he Bush strategy is aimed at preventing Kerry from crossing a threshold of acceptability among voters interested in changing the direction of the administration’s policies. Voters ”want a change in principle,” [Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg] said, and the Bush campaign ”wants to make sure there’s no candidate for the job.”

Share this…