Howard Dean: Republicans Weak on Security

[paineinthearse]

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=61822

Dean: Republicans Weak on Security

3/3/2006 3:07:00 PM

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To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Karen Finney of the Democratic National Committee Communications Department, 202-863-8148

WASHINGTON, March 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following statement and fact sheet was released today by the Democratic National Committee:

Republicans are in denial. This week, while President Bush defended his bungling of a deal to allow a foreign-owned company to run six of our nation's largest seaports, Republican strategists continued to argue that the issue of security would propel Republicans to victory in the 2006 elections. But, according to numerous polls, the American people no longer trust Washington Republicans on the issue of security.

A host of polls from this week showed that President Bush's approval ratings are at an all-time low, that Americans no longer approve of his handling of the war on terror and don't trust Republicans to keep them safe, and that the Bush Administration and Bush Republicans in Washington have not done enough to keep our ports safe and secure.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement on the American people's lack of trust in the Bush Administration's ability to keep them safe and secure:

"After five years and two warnings from the 9/11 Commission, President Bush has failed to make our nation's ports safe and secure. We ought not to be letting foreign government-owned companies run our already porous ports, and the Bush White House certainly should not allow the port deal to go through before the 45-day review is over. But, the Republicans' collapse on security is not limited to our ports; they have also utterly failed to secure our borders, chemical plants and other key infrastructure.

"Karl Rove and the Republicans still argue that the issue of security will propel them to victory in 2006. But, the truth is Republicans are weak on security. This Administration clearly has a pre-9/11 mentality and the American people no longer think Republicans can keep them secure. This President is one of the weakest ever on security, and Republicans can't look to him and his Nixon-like approval ratings for help anymore.

"Democrats will continue to fight to close the gaps in our nation's security and will never outsource security of America's ports."

See below for a new document from DNC Research:

Bush Job Approval Rating Is Between 34 And 38 Percent - His Lowest By Some Measures

According to a CBS/New York Times poll, Bush's job approval is 34 percent. A CNN poll found a job approval rating of 38 percent. An LA Times poll found a job approval rating of 38 percent. A Fox poll found an approval rating of 39 percent. According to the New York Times, "Bush's latest job performance rating is the lowest measured for him in a poll conducted by the Times or CBS News." (New York Times, 2/27/06; CBS News/New York Times poll, released 2/27/06; LA Times/Bloomberg poll, released 3/2/06; CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, released 3/2/06; Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll, released 3/2/06)

Current Job Approval Ratings About Five Points Lower Than January

January's CBS/New York Times poll found a Bush approval rating of 42 percent. January's CNN job approval rating was 43 percent. A Fox January poll found an approval rating of 42 percent. (CBS News/New York Times poll, released 2/27/06; CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, released 3/2/06; Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll, released 3/2/06)

Bush's Job Approval Sinking Even With Republicans

The LA Times poll wrote,"He received positive ratings from Republicans (77 percent) and conservatives (60 percent), although in January conservatives gave him a 68 percent positive job rating. Two thirds of moderate Republicans also gave the president a positive job rating, as did 82 percent of conservative Republicans" The New York Times wrote,"Bush's support has declined even among Republicans. In the January Times/CBS News poll, 83 percent of Republicans approved of the way he was handling his job; in the latest poll 72 percent approve." Fox added,"This is also one of only a handful of times that Bush's approval has dropped below 80 percent among Republicans. Today 77 percent of Republicans approve, down from 82 percent in early February" (New York Times, 2/27/06; LA Times/Bloomberg poll, released 3/2/06; Fox News, 3/2/06)

Two Thirds Oppose Dubai Port Deal, Cutting Across Party Lines

According to an LA Times poll, 17 percent of people say they support allowing the Dubai-based company to oversee shipping operations at U.S. ports, while 58 percent say they oppose the deal. A CNN poll also found that 17 percent say they favor the deal, while 66 percent say they oppose it. A CBS News/New York Times poll found that 21 percent support the deal, while 70 percent oppose it. Fox found 17 percent support the deal, while 69 percent oppose it. The CBS poll analysis added,"The opposition to the ports deal crosses party lines - 58 percent of Republicans oppose it, as do more than seven in ten Democrats and Independents." (CBS News/New York Times poll, released 2/27/06; LA Times/Bloomberg poll, released 3/2/06; CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, released 3/2/06; Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll, released 3/2/06)

Bush Has Only A Mid-40s Approval Rating On His Handling Of Terrorism

According to a CNN poll, Bush has a 47 percent approval rating on his handling of terrorism. A CBS News poll found a 43 percent approval rating for Bush's handling of terrorism. The LA Times poll found an approval rating of 44 percent for Bush's handling of terrorism. The LA Times poll added,"Whenever George W. Bush's ratings declined, the one thing that he and his administration could always count on was the nation's perceived notion that the president had strength of leadership in making the nation safe from terrorism." In every poll that has been taken after September 11th, his job performance on that very issue was always very favorable. But in the latest LA Times/Bloomberg poll taken this week, that issue is one that he no longer can rely on for bumping up his numbers." (CBS News/New York Times poll, released 2/27/06; LA Times/Bloomberg poll, released 3/2/06; CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, released 3/2/06)

Democrats' Gap With Republicans On Handling of Terrorism Is Shrinking Fast

The Fox poll found,"At the beginning of the year the Republican Party held a 13-percentage point advantage over Democrats on being the party trusted to do a better job protecting the country from terrorism. Today Republicans still have the edge, but it has dropped to 5 points." Similarly, the CNN poll found that 45 percent believe that Republicans will do a better job of protecting the country from international terrorism and military threats, while 40 percent say Democrats. In September 2005, 48 percent said Republicans would and 37 percent said Democrats would. (Fox News, 3/2/06; CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, released 3/2/06)

Only A Third Approve of Bush's Handling of Iraq

According to an LA Times poll, Bush has an approval rating of 34 on his handling of Iraq. A CBS News poll found an approval rating of 30 percent for Bush's handling of Iraq. A CNN poll found an approval rating of 35 percent for Bush's handling of Iraq. The CBS poll added, "Ratings for the President's handling of the Iraq war have also plummeted, to their all-time low of 30 percent."(CBS News/New York Times poll, released 2/27/06; LA Times/Bloomberg poll, released 3/2/06; CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, released 3/2/06)

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, http://www.democrats.org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

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[paineinthearse]

1. Once upon a time

...a Dean press release was considered a hot item.

[AtomicKitten]

2. This really hits the Republicans where it hurts ... K&R

Allegedly their strong suit. The issue that facilitated painting war hero John Kerry as a weasel and AWOL-boy as strong on national security. The Dubais ports deal is the GOP Achilles heel. There is no way in hell they will every explain this to the satisfaction of the majority of Americans. The only people capable of going with the flow on this deal are those versed in pretzel logic, otherwise known as the 34-38% that would support anything, and I do mean anything BushCo does.

On edit: And more than that, Bush is weak on immigration and securing the borders. Weak on a Homeland Security and response to natural disasters. The Dubais deal will force America to take a look at the other bonehead policies of this administration.