The Nattering Nabob

The polls are out and they look lousy for Bush.

In the first place, they show Kerry slightly ahead - 48 to 46 - despite an ENORMOUS amount of smearing from the Bushies in the last week.

But worse than that for the Bushies is this:

Do you think the United States made a mistake getting involved in the current war with Iraq, or not?

Mistake -- 48%

Not a mistake -- 46%

-- CBS/NY Times poll, 4/23-27

Even REPUBLICANS overwhelmingly think we should involve the "irrelevant" UN now:

Should the United States manage things in Iraq on its own for the time being or should the United Nations be brought in now to help the U.S. manage things in Iraq?

Bring in UN

All -- 76%

GOP -- 72%

Dem -- 85%

Indy -- 72%

People disapprove of the way Bush is handing everything BUT the war on terrorism. That means Kerry should attack his handling of the war on terrorism, which has actually been rotten.

And when you separate out the swing vote - the independents - the numbers are plain BRUTAL. Here's the independents ALONE:

Bush fav-unfav

34%-42%

Bush approve-disapprove

40%-47%

Country on right direction or wrong track

Right: 30%

Wrong: 59%

Bush approval on foreign policy

36%

Bush approval on economy

36%

Bush approval on Iraq

37%

Bush policies on terrorism

Made us safer: 44%

Less safe or no effect: 51%

Does Bush have the same priorities as you?

Has -- 33%

Does not have -- 62%

The country is waking up.