50-0 FILES:

Bush Better Suited to Deal With Terror Threat, Poll Finds (Richard Morin and Claudia Deane, July 14, 2004, Washington Post)

Despite growing fears that the United States is losing the war on terrorism, President Bush has reclaimed the advantage over his Democratic challenger John F. Kerry as the candidate best able to deal with the international terrorist threat, according to the latest Washington Post poll.

The survey found that 55 percent of Americans approve of the way Bush is handling the campaign against terrorism, up five points in the past three weeks. Slightly more than half -- 51 percent -- also said they trust Bush more than Kerry to deal with terrorism, while 42 percent prefer the Democrat. Three weeks ago, the two were tied on this crucial voting issue. [...]

Bush's overall job approval rating stood at 48 percent, unchanged from last month. Half disapproved of the job he was doing.

The survey also found that Kerry's choice of Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) as his running mate did little to change the overall character of the race. Although the Edwards selection was greeted warmly by many voters, particularly Democrats, Kerry and Bush remain in a tight battle -- with each candidate claiming 46 percent of the hypothetical vote of registered voters. In June, the Massachusetts senator led Bush 48 percent to 44 percent.

Note first that this is reghistered rather than likely voters and next that the President's numbers are improving at exactly the time when the Senator's should be and you can see that the election is over--all that remains to be determined is the margin and given where they are now it should be sizable by November.

Posted by Orrin Judd at July 14, 2004 9:25 AM