Most recent WSJ/NBC Poll

[question everything]

Sure, we don't believe in polls, still

From http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB109589133564325361,00.html?mod=home_whats_news_us

A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll taken over the weekend showed Mr. Kerry nearly even with President Bush -- the president leads by 48% to 45%. A spate of surveys taken earlier in the month showed the incumbent with a commanding and widening lead. It isn't clear whether that difference reflects a trend in the campaign or simply differing methodologies.

The Journal/NBC survey of 1,006 registered voters shows that the Iraq issue is on a knife's edge right now. Americans tend to think the U.S. should have taken military action to remove Saddam Hussein. If that's the focus of the debate, it's a plus for Mr. Bush.

But increasing numbers think that expelling the Iraqi dictator wasn't worth the cost, and that there's no clear plan to pacify Iraq. Just 40% said that "removing Saddam Hussein from power ... was worth the number of U.S. military casualties and the financial cost," while 52% said it wasn't -- the biggest gap in the year since the question was first posed.

On separate questions asked for the first time: 52% of the respondents said the incursion "has been a poor use of money;" 53% said they weren't confident the war "will come to a successful conclusion;" and by 47% to 41%, those polled said they did not think the war "will be a victory for the United States."

Some questions:

Margin of error +/- 3%

In general, do you approve or disapprove of the job that George W. Bush is doing as president?

Approve 47%
Disapprove 48%
Not sure 5%


Do you generally approve or disapprove of the job that George W. Bush is doing in handling the economy?

45; 51; 4 (same order as above)

In general, do you approve or disapprove of the job that George W. Bush is doing in handling our foreign
policy?

44; 51; 5

When it comes to dealing with the war on terrorism, do you approve or disapprove of the job George W.
Bush is doing?

52; 43; 5

If the election for president were held today, and George W. Bush and Dick Cheney were the Republican candidates, John Kerry and John Edwards were the Democratic candidates, and Ralph Nader and Peter
Camejo were running as independent candidates, for whom would you vote? (IF "NOT SURE," ASK:) Well, which way do you lean at this time?

All voters
B/C 46+2 (second number "lean")
K/E 42+3
N/C 1+1

Likely voters
B/C 48+2
K/E 44+2
N/C 1

Overall, do you think the country is better off or worse off than it was four years ago?

Better off - 35
Worse off - 55
No difference - 6
Not sure - 4

Regardless of who you are voting for, when it comes to campaign, would you say that they have a message and you know what they would do if elected, or would you say that they do NOT have a message and you do NOT know what they would do if elected?

Have a message, know what will do if elected

B/C 68
K/E 36

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Whats this? No commentary about how Kerry is "surging ahead"

gaining 11 points in a week???? I didn't expect it either.