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Jewish World Review July 19, 2000 / 16 Tamuz, 5760
Chris Matthews
Asked if we're headed in the "right" or "wrong" direction,
the Wall Street Journal poll numbers come back 44 percent
right, 38 percent wrong. Asked whether it's "time for a
change" or whether we should "continue with Democrats"
in control of the presidency, the results are 47 percent to
46 percent.
Whatever. Political waters once roiled by Kennedy,
Goldwater, Nixon, McGovern, Carter, Reagan and Clinton
now sit in a dead calm. Fewer than a majority think we're
headed in the right direction as a country. Almost as many
think not. Almost half the people want a change in the
White House; almost half want to keep the Clinton-Gore
crowd in power.
The same indecision clouds the race for Congress. Asked
by the NBC/WSJ pollsters if they would rather see
Republicans keep control of Congress or Democrats take it
away from them, the answer was 43 percent Republican,
41 percent Democrat.
Even this small sign of changed national direction is offset
by a Gallup Poll that has 48 percent of voters planning to
vote for a Democratic candidate this fall, 46 percent for a
Republican.
The presidential contest is equally lacking in what one candidate's dad once
called "Big Mo" — momentum. George W. Bush has built a lead since the
primaries — 49 percent to 41 percent in the NBC/WSJ poll; 50 percent to 41
percent in the Gallup.
But when NBC/WSJ pollsters asked expected voters to gauge the two
candidates' abilities, people divvy up the quality traits with rough equality. Bush
scores heavily on leadership and being the more likeable of the two, as well as on
having higher personal standards, setting a higher moral tone and being
trustworthy to make the right decisions. Al Gore wins on knowledge and
experience, especially in foreign policy, and being more in touch with average
people's problems at home.
There is a similar division of strengths on issues. In a CNN/Time poll, Bush holds
the edge on defense, crime and taxes. Gore wins on environment, Medicare and
health care generally.
Gore also holds a debating edge on another issue that could turn today's perfect
calm into October's perfect storm: abortion rights. Fifty-seven percent of voters
believe decisions on abortion "should be left to the woman and her doctor,"
according to the NBC/WSJ poll. Just 32 percent would limit abortions to cases of
rape, incest and the need to save the life of the mother. Only 9 percent say
abortion should be banned outright.
Gore knows these numbers better than anyone. Expect him to use them by Nov.
07/17/00: AlGore is executing a double dose of imitation
07/10/00: Mexicans elect a Bush Republican
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