48% Say US Winning War on Terror

Rasmussen - Confidence in the War on Terror is up sharply compared to a month ago. Forty-eight percent (48%) Americans now believe the U.S. and its Allies are winning. That's up nine points from 39% a month ago and represents the highest level of confidence measured in 2005.

Just 28% now believe the terrorists are winning, down six points from 34% a month ago. The survey was conducted on Wednesday and Thursday night following the President's speech outlining his strategy in Iraq.

Huge partisan divisions on questions dealing with Iraq remain. Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans believe the U.S. and its allies are winning. That's up from 64% a month ago.

Just 28% of Democrats believe the U.S. is winning while 45% of Nancy Pelosi's party believe the terrorists are winning. Even that is a more optimistic assessment than last month when just 19% of Democrats said the U.S. was winning.

This is further proof that my position is correct in that this administration has been woefully lacking in public relations with the citizens of this country from day one. And not in just in the war in Iraq, but the whole war on terror, the economy, social security, the whole ball of wax, so to speak.

The public needs constant reminders, just as any good manager knows, his staff needs occasional "atta-boys". Whenever Bush does a speech, his ratings go up. You cannot just sit back for 6 months at a time, watch your ratings tank, and then do a speech. You got to stay ahead of the curve. Bush connects with the general public when he speaks (I know... he's not a good speaker).
Perhaps part of his connection, his charm, is that homespun delivery of his.

Of course, it is harder for him to get his message out because of the animosity the MSM has for him, and I certainly would stay away from having press conferences because of this very reason. But every president needs and should want to win the PR war. (HH)