They are fighting the polls and spinning to the end though. On CNN’s Inside Politics site they begin their report on the poll as follows:

“Fifty-one percent of likely voters said they would back Bush, and 46 percent expressed support for Kerry.

The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points, meaning the true leader was unclear.”

First, I was taught not to mix written out numbers with whole numbers…but they didn’t confuse me…cuz 51 is FIVE bigger than 46. Second, if the margin of error is 3 percent, I would think that the TRUE LEADER was pretty clear!! Damn those people really suck!

Posted by: dickmr at October 25, 2004 08:46 PM

Dick

I believe that the ‘plus or minus 3 Percent’ could mean that (using the current figures) Bush @ 51% could actually mean Bush @ 48% (minus 3%) and that Kerry @ 46% could mean Kerry @ 49% (plus 3%). Thus negating the usefulness of any poll that falls within double the amount of the stated margin of error. Though I admit, I hope I’m wrong.

Posted by: CRITIQULE at October 25, 2004 09:22 PM

Crit and Dick
Just for balance sake and for those who get confused easily (you both have very valid points), please check my math:

Bush 51% + 3%=54%
Kerry 46% + 3%=49%
OR
Bush 51% - 3%= 48%
Kerry 46% - 3% = 43%

Thats how I read it?? Clear who leads to me or am I being to unfair to the JFK#1 wanna-be?

Posted by: Richard Rockwell at October 26, 2004 04:00 AM

Jim HAMILTON
Vancouver, BC V6G 1X5
CANADA
604-669-6097
A SIMPLE QUESTION: Kerry on!
Why is it that all the freedom-fighting groups in the world that have voiced preferences (for the man who will be elected as the next US President) seem to be favoring Kerry and NOT Bush? Why are they all so afraid of Bush? Why are they so seemingly Kerry-friendly? Does it mean that, if Kerry is elected, these anti-freedom groups will suddenly become US-friendly? Or does it mean that they feel their anti-Democracy and anti-US imperialist agendas will have more room to flourish with Kerry? Do they see Kerry as more liberal towards the practice of Wahabi-ism? Perhaps they feel that, with Kerry they will have more liberty to infiltrate the US interests and assets. What on earth makes them think that, I wonder? Are they not intelligent individuals?

Why are terrorist groups so enamored of Kerry but so antagonistic towards Bush? Are they afraid that Bush will continue to restrict the growth of terrorist-cell infrastructures even in foreign soil? What right does Bush have to inflict his agenda on Islamic cult groups hell-bent on destroying the western way of life? Do these suicide-cult fanatics not have a right to be left alone to build up their resources and strategies without being pestered by protectionist westerners looking to promote their own safety and self-interests? Sure, we know that the ultimate agenda of cults like Wahabi-ism is to eventually destroy ALL infidels but they simply don’t seem to have the resources to do that at the moment, so why fight them now? Isn’t it only fair to be less aggressive and to allow them to build up a greater ability to destroy the US and the West before facing them off in a more equally-armed fight? Wouldn’t Kerry’s attitude towards Vietnam veterans be repeated to discourage US troops from finishing the unpleasant task that has been assigned to them? What would be the result of that in the end and where would the freshly freed-up freedom-fighters redeploy to in order to destroy all the infidels that have opposed them?

Surely these terrorist groups have the right to try to cast their vote – or at least to try to influence the American people to be more liberal - so that they will be enabled to strengthen themselves by having the US back down. Right? If the USA backs down, then we hope that perhaps it might be that these terrorist groups might become placated; at least a little bit anyway; Will they not? If Bush’s aggressive stand towards the terrorist agendas in foreign soil is diminished as much as possible, as Kerry proposes, then would that not simply free up the ability of these cults and terrorists to persecute minority infidels in these places without such infuriating harassment? Then do you think that maybe- just maybe- perhaps they’ll leave US all alone?
Someone said that terrorists and mosquitoes are all of one unchangeable mindset because they are after blood and won’t ever cease to attempt to fulfill their individual destinies until they have drunk enough. Who was it who said this? “The horseleech has two daughters, crying, ‘Give, give’. There are three things that are never satisfied, yes, four things that do not say, ‘It is enough’, the grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that does not say, ‘It is enough’”. Will the fire, which has been lit by the cult of Wahabi go out if we just walk away and try to ignore it? Will all these terrorists, who say they prefer Kerry instead of Bush, then be happy to be left alone to their own devices like mosquitoes in a swamp? The mosquitoes are biting US butts as US soldiers try to drain the swamps but if we just leave these swamps to fester will the mosquitoes not just stay there and mind their own business? I’d like to believe that; wouldn’t you? Then again, when they run out of blood in the swamp, where are they going to come seeking for it? The liberated preservation officer might say, “We have to live and let live because these swamp areas are natural” but will she sing the same song once the West-Nile-ridden proboscis pierces her own flesh? Will she then not look for someone to blame, saying, “Why didn’t you Kerry on with the work of replacing the mangrove with the Bush?”? She cheered Neville Chamberlaine’s wishful thinking statement, “Peace in our time” just before the surprise attacks of WW2 because he offered her what she wanted to believe but what is the point of offering without the ability to Kerry out his promises? Will she Neville, never learn? She was fooled in these days but has she learned anything from his story or will she Kerry on to a repeat her folly? In Neville’s day the allies had time to recover and eventually fight back from the losing position his procrastination had carried them into but nowadays, with terrorists being given easement in US and abroad to obtain and build up today’s weaponry, will there be any second chance?
Mosquitoes don’t want the SWAT to hit them but they’re not afraid to risk their lives for their cause and to keep coming back. Mosquitoes cannot be persuaded by words and promises but the SWAT works fairly well. Mosquitoes don’t really like the smell of kerysene in the john either; but wouldn’t it be foolish to elect to use such an inappropriate fuel and thus risk burning the house down instead of draining the swamp that harbors the terrorists?

When we’re not on the front line it’s difficult to perceive the safest choice of direction but perhaps we can be guided by insight into enemy intelligence maneuvering attempts and to ask ourselves, “What is it that our enemies seem to want the least?” Or again we could ask ourselves that simple question again.

Why is it that all the terrorist groups in the world that have voiced preferences (for the man who will be elected as the next US President) seem to be favoring Kerry and NOT Bush?

Just Jim

Posted by: Just Jim at October 30, 2004 08:31 PM