Poll: Voters split between Bush, Kerry
Friday, July 23, 2004 Posted: 9:39 AM EDT (1339 GMT)
(CNN) -- Less than a week before the Democratic National Convention, voters remain evenly split between President Bush and challenger, Sen. John Kerry.
The latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, released Thursday, also showed that voters are unusually interested and enthusiastic about the presidential race -- and 83 percent said they have already made up their minds about who will get their vote.
Kerry hopes the Democrat's convention, which begins July 26 in Boston, will provide a bounce to his poll numbers. Conventions usually do.
But Bush is likely to receive a similar bounce after his convention, which begins in late August in New York.
The presidential race appears to be a dead heat among likely voters in this week's poll, conducted July 19 - 21. Almost half, 49 percent favor Kerry and 47 percent support Bush. The difference is well within the margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
With independent Ralph Nader thrown into the mix, 47 percent favored Kerry, 46 percent Bush and 4 percent Nader.
Roughly equal numbers of those polled said the two men have the right personality and leadership qualities to be president.
Kerry and Bush were essentially tied on the questions of who is more honest and trustworthy; who shares their values; who could better manage the government; and who is more optimistic.
Asked if Kerry agreed with them on issues that mattered to them most, 49 percent of poll respondents said "yes" and 42 percent said "no." Asked the same question of Bush, 47 percent said "yes" and 50 percent said "no."
Overall, 55 percent of those polled had a favorable view of Kerry, while 52 percent viewed Bush favorably.
The president's job approval rating stood at 49 percent, about where it has hovered all summer.
There were some issues where the public views the two men differently.
More than half, 54 percent, say Bush would be a stronger and more decisive leader. Just 37 percent said Kerry would be stronger and more decisive. The findings echo the Republicans' months-long marketing campaign to portray Kerry as indecisive and a poor leader.
And Republican efforts to paint Kerry as a liberal also appear to have worked, with 46 percent saying they think he is liberal and just 32 percent saying they view him as moderate.
But more poll respondents, 48 percent, believe Kerry cares more about people like them. Only 40 percent believe Bush cares about them.
Kerry also appears more respected among world leaders, according to the poll. When asked if each candidate would have the respect of world leaders, 63 percent said Kerry would while 43 percent thought Bush would.
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