Month: October 2004

Reading the polls

President Bush is ahead of Kerry in the national polls right now by an average of 3.1 percent (see Real Clear Politics.) Over the past several months, his trend line is up while Kerry’s is flat (see Stephen den Beste.) Michael Barone explains why this is happening: Bush’s most effective opposition this year has come … Continue reading “Reading the polls”

President Bush is ahead of Kerry in the national polls right now by an average of 3.1 percent (see Real Clear Politics.) Over the past several months, his trend line is up while Kerry’s is flat (see Stephen den Beste.)

Michael Barone explains why this is happening:

Bush’s most effective opposition this year has come not from Kerry and the Democrats but from Old Media, the New York Times and the news pages of the Washington Post, along with the broadcast networks ABC, CBS, and NBC. Old Media gave very heavy coverage to stories that tended to hurt Bush?violence in Iraq, Abu Ghraib, the false charges of Richard Clarke and Joseph Wilson, etc. And during the first eight months of the year Bush did a poor job of making his case.

Then, suddenly, that case was made with maximum effectiveness at the Republican National Convention in New York?by John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani, by Zell Miller and Arnold Schwarzenegger, by Laura Bush and Dick Cheney and George W. Bush himself. Bush was able to get his message out unmediated by Old Media. (Fox News Channel had more viewers during the Republican National Convention than any of the old-line broadcast networks.) The message was simple: We need this president to protect the nation. Bush muffed the chance to deliver that message effectively in the first debate. But he made up for it in the second and third debates.

Kerry helped confirm the Bush message in the debates?by saying American action had to pass a global test, by saying that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq both was and was not a threat, by arguing that Saddam would “not necessarily” have remained in power if Kerry’s course had been taken. He remains the man who volunteered the words “I did actually vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.” So in all the polls Bush continues to score better than Kerry on handling the war on terrorism and on handling Iraq.

Sounds about right, but there’s one other thing: Kerry’s messages are very appealing to the audidences for which they’re tailored, but it takes the voters a while to figure out that he’s pandering; they’ve more or less done that by now.

Best playoffs ever

If you haven’t been watching the MLB playoffs this year, I feel sorry for you. The first round (we call that the “division series”) was 100% excellent, with all the good guys defeating the bad guys (except the Yankees squeaked through, but they’re supposed to) and one full five-game series between the heroic Astros and … Continue reading “Best playoffs ever”

If you haven’t been watching the MLB playoffs this year, I feel sorry for you. The first round (we call that the “division series”) was 100% excellent, with all the good guys defeating the bad guys (except the Yankees squeaked through, but they’re supposed to) and one full five-game series between the heroic Astros and those bastards from Atlanta.

The League Championship Series has featured one great game after another, with dynamite slugging in the early games of each series followed by killer pitching in the later games. The Bostons were behind the Evil Yankees 0 games to 3 when they turned things around in a manner that would make a 12-stepper proud. They lost a game 19-8 and then came back to win three in a row after all their pitchers were hurt or shot and their most consistent hitters couldn’t find the ball. In tonight’s game in New York the umps reversed two blown calls, which has to be an even greater miracle than the Bostons rallying to tie the series at 3 games apiece. Wednesday night is the rubber match, one game to decide who represents the American League in the World Series.

Over in St. Louis, the Astros have a 3-2 game lead over the Cards in the National League Series after winning three in a row at home behind the pitchers of Christmas Past, Present, and Future and the superior closing of unhittable Brad Lidge. Houston only has to win one of the next two games, so they’re starting a rookie pitcher in order to have The Rocket on full rest for Game 7 if it happens. Carlos Beltran of the Astros is the next Barry Bonds, but without the attitude and many of the drugs, so it’s worth the price of a TV show just to see him.

Baseball is the national pastime, but it was bordering on boring until TiVo came along and rescued it, much to America’s benefit. And Japan’s too, actually. Not to mention civilization’s as a whole.

Quote of the Day

From Gen. Tommy Franks: Today we are asking our servicemen and women to do more, in more places, than we have in decades. They deserve honest, consistent, no-spin leadership that respects them, their families and their sacrifices. The war against terrorism is the right war at the right time for the right reasons. And Iraq … Continue reading “Quote of the Day”

From Gen. Tommy Franks:

Today we are asking our servicemen and women to do more, in more places, than we have in decades. They deserve honest, consistent, no-spin leadership that respects them, their families and their sacrifices. The war against terrorism is the right war at the right time for the right reasons. And Iraq is one of the places that war must be fought and won. George W. Bush has his eye on that ball and Senator John Kerry does not.

Amen.

President widens lead

The President must have won the debate in the eyes of the people, as he’s widened his lead according to the daily tracking poll from Zogby International: A day after the final debate, President Bush has opened a four-point lead over Democratic rival Senator John Kerry, according to a new Reuters/Zogby daily tracking poll. The … Continue reading “President widens lead”

The President must have won the debate in the eyes of the people, as he’s widened his lead according to the daily tracking poll from Zogby International:

A day after the final debate, President Bush has opened a four-point lead over Democratic rival Senator John Kerry, according to a new Reuters/Zogby daily tracking poll. The telephone poll of 1220 likely voters was conducted from Tuesday through Thursday (October 12-14, 2004)…

Pollster John Zogby: ?While Bush– now at 48%– had another good night continuing his upward trend, Kerry appears stuck at 44%. The good news for the President is that he has improved his performance among the small group of undecideds. Nearly a quarter now say that he deserves to be re-elected?up from 18% in our last poll.

Rasmussen has similar results: 3.5% lead for the President, Kerry slowly losing ground.

UPDATE: TIPP has similar results, 47-44 for Bush, and the Washington Post has an outlier poll showing a 48-48 deadlock with no post-debate movement. This isn’t cherry-picking, folks, this is the whole spectrum of tracking polls.

Voter fraud

The centerpiece of the Kerry election strategy appears to be voter fraud. Plus George Soros’ money and media bias. Nov. 2nd is going to be dicier than the polls indicate, as these bastards will stop at nothing to take away our freedom.

The centerpiece of the Kerry election strategy appears to be voter fraud.

Plus George Soros’ money and media bias. Nov. 2nd is going to be dicier than the polls indicate, as these bastards will stop at nothing to take away our freedom.

Bush Job Approval

Bush Job Approval: Thursday October 14, 2004 — Fifty-three percent (53%) of American voters say they approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President. Forty-six percent (46%) disapprove. The President’s Job Approval has not dipped below 51% since the Republican National Convention. Since Labor Day, it has moved in a … Continue reading “Bush Job Approval”

Bush Job Approval:

Thursday October 14, 2004 — Fifty-three percent (53%) of American voters say they approve of the way George W. Bush is performing his role as President. Forty-six percent (46%) disapprove.

The President’s Job Approval has not dipped below 51% since the Republican National Convention. Since Labor Day, it has moved in a narrower range from 51% to 54%.

During all of 2004, it has ranged from a high of 57% in early January to a low of 48% on May 17.

Today’s job approval rating is higher than yesterday’s, owing to a positive response to the President’s debate performance.

Foreign leaders prefer Bush

Here’s an endorsement from prominent foreign leader Koizumi of Japan: Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 21:37 JST TOKYO ? Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday he wants George W Bush to retain the U.S. presidency in the country’s upcoming election. “I don’t want to interfere with another country’s election but since I’m well-acquainted with President … Continue reading “Foreign leaders prefer Bush”

Here’s an endorsement from prominent foreign leader Koizumi of Japan:

Thursday, October 14, 2004 at 21:37 JST
TOKYO ? Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday he wants George W Bush to retain the U.S. presidency in the country’s upcoming election.

“I don’t want to interfere with another country’s election but since I’m well-acquainted with President Bush, I want him to carry on,” Koizumi told reporters at his office when asked about Democratic rival Sen John Kerry’s [alleged] lead in [some flakey] poll.

Koizumi is a stand-up guy.