Undecided GOP Voters Skeptical of Bush

[Nicholas_J]

RON FOURNIER

Associated Press


NEW YORK - David Tayman is a registered Republican who thinks the economy is turning around, a defense industry worker who considers Democrat John Kerry to be "flippy-floppy." Sounds like a vote for President Bush.

But the 31-year-old LaPlata, Md., resident is angry about the war in Iraq, and finds the Republican incumbent to be more conservative than compassionate. "So I'm undecided," Tayman said Monday night as he turned on his television in search of the GOP convention. "What am I going to do?"

Wouldn't Bush and Kerry like to know? Whether fence-sitters like Tayman break for the Democrat in a thirst for change, stick with Bush and the comfort of status quo or stay home Election Day out of disgust, so-called "persuadable voters" may well determine the election. Conventional wisdom gives Kerry the edge among these wavering voters, but interviews with dozens of them suggest the incumbent has advantages, too.

Undecided voters account for just four to five percent of the electorate, according to most polls, though the universe of persuadable voters ranges up to 20 percent when pollsters include people who say they lean toward one candidate and still might vote for another. By any measure, the number of voters still open to persuasion is smaller than normal.

AP-Ipsos polling shows that persuadable voters are more disappointed than others with Bush's job performance. Their negative views track almost every issue, from Bush's handling of the war in Iraq to his foreign policies, the economy and domestic initiatives. Nearly seven in 10 of them believe the country is headed on the wrong track.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/9545331.htm?1c

[eaprez]

1. Undecideds

Undecideds are unlikely to vote for a sitting president, political experts say. An established incumbent would be lucky to pick up a third of undecided voters. Voters who now consider themselves ‘undecided’ have already made a tentative decision not to support the incumbent; the remaining decision is whether to vote for the main challenger.

[tedoll78]

2. I love it when people claim that..

"now that we're in The War on Terror, this undecided rule doesn't apply anymore."

Their logic rings false, however. We can make the assumption that undecideds have pretty much factored Terror into their deliberations, and arrived to the conclusion that Terror alone cannot compell them into voting for Bush. Otherwise, they wouldn't be undecideds.. they'd already be sold on the Chimp.

Instead, this is a real victory for Kerry. The Undecideds have most likely pondered the issue of Terror already, and have concluded that they still have to seriously consider voting for Kerry.

[seabeyond]

3. last couple days all of a sudden undecided doesnt necessarily

have to go to challenger. right. if this hasnt been a play

[tedoll78]

5. You bet it's a ploy.

Demoralize us? Nice try, GOP.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

4. Bush hasn't even decided if he can win the war on terror

so let's see what those polls show next week.

[eaprez]

6. Of course he can't....and he meant what he said...

..its to be a perptual war. One of the planks in their platform is the current deficit is manageable and should be reduced by cutting spending not tax increases. The Pentagon is not where they are going to slash and burn --- they can't if they are in a perpetual war. So it will be Headstart, Medicaid pgms that suffer and an assortment of social programs that help uplift the poor.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. What "comfort" of this status quo?

:shrug: