thedrifter
04-20-04, 07:43 AM
Jury Still Out on Kerry
By MURIEL DOBBIN
McClatchey Newspapers
Apr 19, 2004, 07:55
John Kerry has a lot of work to do to establish himself as a strong presidential candidate, judging by the reactions of swing voters who met recently to reflect on the state of the election year.
Uncertainty and a degree of distrust about Kerry's qualifications as commander in chief contrasted with a continuing faith in the strength of President Bush as a leader when a group from the battleground state of Pennsylvania spent two hours assessing candidates and issues.
Criticism of Bush focused on concern that the war in Iraq was "spiraling out of control," but few strong opinions were voiced about Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee, or his campaign. What emerged was a sense of confusion over his "waffling" on issues such as Iraq, suggesting that recent Republican attack ads on the Democrat had made an impact.
The session was the third of eight focus studies being conducted by pollster Peter Hart during the election year for the nonpartisan Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The discussion suggested that the president's continuing emphasis on the importance of his role in rallying the nation against terrorism was paying off.
From the majority of the eleven men and women _ including a teacher, a salesman, a psychologist and a financial planner ranging in age from 26 to 71 _ came a high rating for the president on his handling of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and their aftermath. Nine of them gave him an "A" or "B" on homeland security, although only six gave him the same rating on social issues.
There were complaints about his handling of education and the economy. Some also saw an elitism that made him oblivious to the problems of the average American. And uneasiness was voiced about the apparent lack of control over the Iraq war.
It seemed that almost nobody in the group was sold on presumed Democratic nominee Kerry. Not because he was a Massachusetts liberal, but because they felt he had not established strong credentials as a candidate. When it came to Kerry, as far as that focus group was concerned, the jury was still out.
Asked what first came into their minds about the Massachusetts senator, responses seemed focused on the superficial, varying from "tall" to "patriotic," "post-Vietnam negatives", "gangly" and "well-dressed," to "outspoken wife" and "intense."
Sheldon Caplan, a Democratic-leaning retiree, complained, "He has the same problem as Bush. They both grew up in this elitist world."
However, nobody seemed to have strong feelings about Kerry, beyond an impression that he seemed to change his mind a lot. Only four said they would be comfortable with him as commander in chief.
Donna Urban, a development director who described herself as "mostly Republican," said Kerry had "a lot to prove."
"He needs to take a more definite stand," she said.
Vincent Vassalluzzo, a Republican self-employed contractor, said he might not vote for Bush this time around, but he probably wouldn't vote for Kerry until he knew more about what the Democrat stood for
Iraq clearly was a dominant factor in the minds of those now focusing on the presidential election. Yet they said recent criticism of the administration's strategy on the war had not damaged Bush's record as the man who rallied the country for the war on terrorism.
"The strength of his leadership surprised me," said Michael Yost, a Republican-leaning teacher. "He grabbed the bull by the horns."
"I was pleasantly surprised at how he handled 9/11, although I am concerned about the direction things are taking in Iraq," said MaryAnn Shriver, a homemaker who favors the Democrats.
More than half the group said that after a year of war in Iraq, they still supported the administration's decision to become involved there, although they emphasized rising anxiety about casualties.
"I supported it," acknowledged Shriver, "but I thought there would be an exit strategy and more boundaries."
Asked what advice they would offer Bush, Republican Tony Melvin, a financial planner, said, "Get your facts before you act." Others urged, "Get in and do the job and get out."
Jeanne Oberti, a Republican-leaning office assistant who worried that the war was spiraling out of control, warned that Iraqi hostility to Americans shouldn't be underestimated."
"No way will they ever think the Americans saved them," she said. "They see us as infidels and the enemy."
The majority supported the commission probing the circumstances preceding the 9/11 terrorist attacks, although they complained it was being politicized.
"I'm disappointed," Vassalluzzo said. "It was set up to find out what we didn't do and it's become political posturing."
© Copyright 2004 by Capitol Hill Blue
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_4413.shtml
Ellie
By MURIEL DOBBIN
McClatchey Newspapers
Apr 19, 2004, 07:55
John Kerry has a lot of work to do to establish himself as a strong presidential candidate, judging by the reactions of swing voters who met recently to reflect on the state of the election year.
Uncertainty and a degree of distrust about Kerry's qualifications as commander in chief contrasted with a continuing faith in the strength of President Bush as a leader when a group from the battleground state of Pennsylvania spent two hours assessing candidates and issues.
Criticism of Bush focused on concern that the war in Iraq was "spiraling out of control," but few strong opinions were voiced about Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee, or his campaign. What emerged was a sense of confusion over his "waffling" on issues such as Iraq, suggesting that recent Republican attack ads on the Democrat had made an impact.
The session was the third of eight focus studies being conducted by pollster Peter Hart during the election year for the nonpartisan Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The discussion suggested that the president's continuing emphasis on the importance of his role in rallying the nation against terrorism was paying off.
From the majority of the eleven men and women _ including a teacher, a salesman, a psychologist and a financial planner ranging in age from 26 to 71 _ came a high rating for the president on his handling of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and their aftermath. Nine of them gave him an "A" or "B" on homeland security, although only six gave him the same rating on social issues.
There were complaints about his handling of education and the economy. Some also saw an elitism that made him oblivious to the problems of the average American. And uneasiness was voiced about the apparent lack of control over the Iraq war.
It seemed that almost nobody in the group was sold on presumed Democratic nominee Kerry. Not because he was a Massachusetts liberal, but because they felt he had not established strong credentials as a candidate. When it came to Kerry, as far as that focus group was concerned, the jury was still out.
Asked what first came into their minds about the Massachusetts senator, responses seemed focused on the superficial, varying from "tall" to "patriotic," "post-Vietnam negatives", "gangly" and "well-dressed," to "outspoken wife" and "intense."
Sheldon Caplan, a Democratic-leaning retiree, complained, "He has the same problem as Bush. They both grew up in this elitist world."
However, nobody seemed to have strong feelings about Kerry, beyond an impression that he seemed to change his mind a lot. Only four said they would be comfortable with him as commander in chief.
Donna Urban, a development director who described herself as "mostly Republican," said Kerry had "a lot to prove."
"He needs to take a more definite stand," she said.
Vincent Vassalluzzo, a Republican self-employed contractor, said he might not vote for Bush this time around, but he probably wouldn't vote for Kerry until he knew more about what the Democrat stood for
Iraq clearly was a dominant factor in the minds of those now focusing on the presidential election. Yet they said recent criticism of the administration's strategy on the war had not damaged Bush's record as the man who rallied the country for the war on terrorism.
"The strength of his leadership surprised me," said Michael Yost, a Republican-leaning teacher. "He grabbed the bull by the horns."
"I was pleasantly surprised at how he handled 9/11, although I am concerned about the direction things are taking in Iraq," said MaryAnn Shriver, a homemaker who favors the Democrats.
More than half the group said that after a year of war in Iraq, they still supported the administration's decision to become involved there, although they emphasized rising anxiety about casualties.
"I supported it," acknowledged Shriver, "but I thought there would be an exit strategy and more boundaries."
Asked what advice they would offer Bush, Republican Tony Melvin, a financial planner, said, "Get your facts before you act." Others urged, "Get in and do the job and get out."
Jeanne Oberti, a Republican-leaning office assistant who worried that the war was spiraling out of control, warned that Iraqi hostility to Americans shouldn't be underestimated."
"No way will they ever think the Americans saved them," she said. "They see us as infidels and the enemy."
The majority supported the commission probing the circumstances preceding the 9/11 terrorist attacks, although they complained it was being politicized.
"I'm disappointed," Vassalluzzo said. "It was set up to find out what we didn't do and it's become political posturing."
© Copyright 2004 by Capitol Hill Blue
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_4413.shtml
Ellie