Reuters, 4/1/2004

WASHINGTON - Most Americans agree with a former White House counterterrorism chief that President Bush was lax on terrorism before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, a poll published on Thursday found.

However, the poll also found that a majority of Americans still support Bush's record on security, a key issue in his reelection effort.

The poll by the Los Angeles Times found that 52 percent of Americans agreed with charges by the former official, Richard Clarke, that Bush "failed to take the threat of terrorism seriously enough" before the attacks, while 40 percent disagreed.

An even larger share, 57 percent, agreed with Clarke that Bush placed a higher priority on invading Iraq than on combating terrorism.

Clarke's charges have received immense publicity in recent weeks -- in testimony before a commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks, in media coverage of a new book by Clarke, and in the White House's ferocious counterattack against his credibility.

The Los Angeles Times survey of 1,616 Americans, taken March 27-30, also found that 56 percent approved of Bush's handling of the war on terrorism, and 59 percent believed he had made the country more secure -- a figure little changed since November.

Those findings are significant for an election year in which Bush, who has called himself a "war president," has made his leadership of the fight against global terrorism a major campaign theme.

LONG TERM PROBLEM

"While the new questions about Bush's initial response to the terrorist threat could pose a long-term problem for him, the poll suggests the controversy (over Clarke's charges) has not significantly changed the dynamics propelling the country toward another close presidential race," the newspaper said in its report on the poll.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released earlier this week also found majority support for Bush's handling of the terrorism issue, but said the 58 percent support represented the lowest level since measurement began after the Sept. 11 attacks.

A survey released on Wednesday by the nonpartisan Council for Excellence in Government found that fewer than half of Americans -- 47 percent -- believed the United States was safer now than before the Sept. 11 attacks, although the share was greater than the 38 percent minority one year after the attacks.

The Los Angeles Times poll also found some support for the White House's criticisms of Clarke, with 58 percent saying his book was politically motivated. But only 28 percent agreed with charges by some Republicans that his criticisms were motivated by a failure to win a promotion from Bush.

In the presidential campaign pitting Bush against Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the poll showed Kerry leading Bush by 49 percent to 46 percent among voters, a difference within the poll's 3-point margin of error.

Bush's overall job approval rating was 51 percent, down slightly from November and just above the 50 percent level that heralds a danger zone for candidates seeking reelection.

The newspaper said the share of Americans who cited security issues as their top concern was the same as those who picked economic issues.

For 8 years BEFORE W. of tolerating a no-balls pollster posing as a president, the American People have NO right to complain about failed security.

I'll agree with the anti-capitalists for once: there was no real outrage over Waco, not like there should've been, and during the late 90s, everyone was so goddamn thrilled with making extra coin during the "boom," they didn't TKOB and get rid of the arkansas slimeball when they could.

(State and local gummints also spent our money like kindling. NO ONE was watching the watchers).

Clinton failed to retaliate against the acts of terrorism on his watch. He listened to the fuckin worthless U.N. and anything the polls said. He made the military more vulnerable and sent it into conflicts we had no business being in (Somalia and the Balkans weren't thumbing noses at the whole world).

The chickens came home to roost. And to this day, W. is still a failure at protecting the border. All politics.

there was plenty of outrage from the public. Your 'libral media' did their job and white washed then gave us crass specticle on the Hardings, Bobbits and Jacksons to curtain this savage massacre.

nothing new with a monolithic media.

Waiter: "For 8 years BEFORE W. of tolerating a no-balls pollster posing as a president, the American People have NO right to complain about failed security. "

...so...what....Clinton didn't do his job so don't expect da shrub to do his?

...you're a fuckin' idiot.

Of course, Clinton was in office for 8 years and did nothing to deter terrorism. Bush was in eight months, but he should have prevented 9/11. This is what idiots like me call "logic".

so. Clinton(scumbag) in 8 years, no terrorist attacks

so. Bush (asshole moron AWOL hophead) terrorist attacks

show me any president and I'll show you a criminal, murder, extortion purjury fuckwad.

God bless America, united we slime.

That must be why the bush idiots are blocking the release of clinton era documents to the 911 panel. Once again, the loudmouth right believes, and idolizes, a man who may have made a a decent used car salesman ("No need to look under the hood! Believe me, this baby is ready for Talladega!"), and makes a terrible, lying, cowardly president.

waiter: "the American People have NO right "



....luckily we live in a country where our rights are not enumerated by waiters....

Well, I guess the people do have a right to complain there, waiter. But it would be like complaining that I never have an original thought. I mean, you could do it, but I still won't have one.

Oh, you mean they can complain but they have no basis on which to stand on their complaints because of Clinton's failure to do as he should have.

I think I'm with me now. Well, I don't "think", per se. I just type off these cue cards.

Someone help me.

....what do da shrub's failures have to do with Clinton?

...forget it, waiter, don't bother, you are hopelss...just continue serving up the laughs!

"just continue serving up the laughs!"

Well, not ALL the laughs. I'm the biggest joke there is. I'm a moron.

"there was plenty of outrage from the public. Your 'libral media' did their job and white washed then gave us crass specticle on the Hardings, Bobbits and Jacksons to curtain this savage massacre.

nothing new with a monolithic media.”

>>>> Bitch, please. Do I have to run down the fucking laundry list AGAIN of media you assholes on the left run? Not to mention the gummint indoctrination centers (public skools). A bunch of smelly hippies who complain about every little thing don’t equal ‘plenty of outrage.” You tards take to the streets to protest *cigarettes,* for fuck’s sake. You have ZERO credibility in the eyes of the majority (yup, still here) who still believe in Western Civilization.

>>> thank god for "al franken radio"....now when no one voluntarily tunes in too kooky leftism BECAUSE IT STINKS....a conspiracy theory will have to be invented how the right somehow sabotaged it.

>>>>> Yes, this is mere OPINION, but, There was no significant protest or outrage against Waco or Ruby Ridge. None.

"Waiter: "For 8 years BEFORE W. of tolerating a no-balls pollster posing as a president, the American People have NO right to complain about failed security. "

...so...what....Clinton didn't do his job so don't expect da shrub to do his?

>>>> Bush was just continuing a trend….if Clinton didn’t have to “waste” time and money on terrorism, then Bush probably guessed he didn’t have to either. 9-11 proved them both wrong.

>>>> I question the sincerity of liberal pillow-biters who still hate the military yet are now SO worried about national defense. What a fucking joke. Admit you hate Bush (which is fine by me) but please don’t pretend you suddenly give two shits about the Rule of Law after 8 years of Clinton anarchy.

.”..you're a fuckin' idiot.”

>>>>>> You’re entitled to your opinion. And believe me, when lowlife, Bizarro-world pseudo-intellectual dickweeds believe I’m a fuckin idiot, I’m ON THE RIGHT TRACK. This site is known around the web as “Nazimedia” and they sure weren’t joking.

“Of course, Clinton was in office for 8 years and did nothing to deter terrorism. Bush was in eight months, but he should have prevented 9/11. This is what idiots like me call "logic".

>>>>>> Who can tell if you’re joking or not…but every time a pussy-ass UN-snoodling democrap soils the office of the Presidency, it takes a Republican (or two) to AGAIN restore honor and keep the world’s tyrants on their toes.

“so. Clinton(scumbag) in 8 years, no terrorist attacks

so. Bush (asshole moron AWOL hophead) terrorist attacks. show me any president and I'll show you a criminal, murder, extortion purjury fuckwad.

God bless America, united we slime.”

>>>>>>>> If all you look at is the negative side of things…that’s all you’ll find. There's little sense in justifying an imperfect world to a utopian socialist.



“That must be why the bush idiots are blocking the release of clinton era documents to the 911 panel. Once again, the loudmouth right believes, and idolizes, a man who may have made a a decent used car salesman ("No need to look under the hood! Believe me, this baby is ready for Talladega!"), and makes a terrible, lying, cowardly president.”

>>>>>>> Bush has plenty of faults. But since victicrats have nothing otter but more socialism, I have to go with the lesser of two evils. When the left has real proof (a la a stained dress) of Bush wrongdoing, we’ll worry about it. Until then, the socialist party can sling mud all the live-long day.

“Well, I guess the people do have a right to complain there, waiter. But it would be like complaining that I never have an original thought. I mean, you could do it, but I still won't have one. “

>>>> that’s why some other clever soul created THE BUSH CONSPIRACY THEORY GENERATOR.

http://www.buttafly.com/bush/index.php

"...what do da shrub's failures have to do with Clinton?

...forget it, waiter, don't bother, you are hopelss...just continue serving up the laughs!

"just continue serving up the laughs!"

Well, not ALL the laughs. I'm the biggest joke there is. I'm a moron."

you don't have a clue what an ignorant pompus idiot you are, do you?

He's bang on with every word, although I don't think Bush has any faults.

"you don't have a clue what an ignorant pompus idiot you are, do you?"

>>> Sure I do. But you should think extra long about how even without those gifts, I'm LAYIN THE SMACKDOWN on you suckas.

but at least you do know that you don't have a fucking clue.

I haven't had a clue since the day I was born.

I was a botched abortion.