The poll results are skewed because the question was rigged. The Survey USA question ambiguously worded: "Would you like to see President Bush in a pink tutu and boots?"

It's a hard one to answer really. Depends on what you had for breakfast, and if you had a digital camera handy.

Bush would have zero electoral votes if Democrats would have a spine and at least one ball. We need to hold the Democrats feet to the fire. Both parties are beholden to the corporations that employ many of the people in this country. We need to show everyone that we won't be pushed around. Repeat as necessary.

This is what happens when you have a country that has been told for years that economics don't matter. The government doesn't have a thing to do with "Hollywood liberals" making movies, but it has a lot to do with economic policies. Red state laborers are learning the hard way that little Bush really doesn't give a hoot about them. His cronies are making money trading oil futures. America is in for a hard learning experence in the next three years. Kind of like what happened between 1929-32.

Also, we see in Iraq that the candidate who waves the most flags isn't the best for the country. The lessons were forgotten a lot faster than the lessons of the depression, but they're both being learned all over again.

The change is going to have to come from outside, the beltway Democrats are too busy playing parlor games.

The second paragraph should read "The lessons of Vietnam were forgotten a lot faster than those of the depression."

This survey is of "all adults 18+", not likely voters or even registered voters. So don't start going wild about the electoral possibilities.

SO WHY THE FUCK ISN'T THE DEM PARTY OFFERING AN ALTERNATIVE? WHY ARE THEY STILL TRYING TO BE BUSH LITE. FUCK THE DEMS - THEY ARE A WASTE OF TIME. LOOK WHAT CINDY SHEEHAN IS DOING - SHE IS A HERO. WE NEED TO FIGHT LIKE CINDY NOT LIKE HILLARY!

Let's see:

Get out of Iraq
Keep Social Security
Clean our environment
Raise CAFE Standards to conserve gasoline
Count Every Vote (and don't tell me about Kerry in Ohio, that was Kerry in Ohio, not the Democratic Party)

How's that for starters?

jj, you are ny hero. Nobody else excels at self-parody the way you do.

But nothing still can beat something.

Look more closely at N. Dakota and Montana (two where GWB is still in the plus column). The former has two respected DEM Senators. And Montana DEMs are rocking with Schweitzer and appear poised to take out their GOP Senator next year.

Simply put, bush has always been a case of bluster and media domination convincing people he's right or steely eyed or a war preznit or a strutting cock-a-whoop, well maybe not that last one.

But the reality has always been otherwise. But reality has been drowned by the bellowings of limbaugh and o'lielly, threats and terror alert manipulations, and self delusional assurance. Which is why they attack so disgustingly thoroughly any and all opposition that might expose that reality.

Their act has worn thin, they're on the run in Ohio, New Hampshire, New York, San Diego, Texas. The more we show pictures of reality, like those grieving families I posted about, the Abu Ghraib photos, the Cindy Sheehan drama, the more people start to realize their misconceptions.

Then we impeach the bastards and try them for war crimes and string 'em up!

Steve,

I find the latest state by state results encouraging, but I'm not celebrating ANYTHING yet! As many of the other readers have said, it is hard to bet something with nothing, and right now the Democrats are still getting their shit together. It will be interesting to see if Dean's 50 state strategy can produce some positive results for Democrats (I'm hoping that it will). Unfortunately, I don't have any faith in the inside the Beltway Democrats.

I have to admit that I was surprised to see the results for KY and NC though. I am from KY (moved back this year), and I lived in NC for over 16 years. NC is filled with redneck Bush supporters, and it takes a LOT of BAD news to make the NC Bush supporters have second thoughts about the Commander-in-Thief. The state Democratic party still has managed to elect Dems to most state government positions. I'm sure that the state Democratic party in NC though can use some help. As for KY, I was shocked to see how badly the Democratic party has done in the last 15-20 years. When I lived here, the majority of the Congressional delegation was Democratic. The state had at least ONE of the U.S. Senate seats (Wendell Ford), and Democrats dominated the state house, senate and governorship. Now in 2005 there is ONE Democratic Congressman, and Dems control the KY state House only. Bush was also MORE POPULAR HERE IN KY THAN NC FOR THE LONGEST TIME!

That is why I am tempering my enthusiasm for the latest poll results on Bush. KY and NC may be winnable for Democrats in 2006 and 2008, but it is going to take a huge effort on the Democrats part. A number of folks in both KY and NC are too easily swayed by Republican bullshit.

By all means, fight like Cindy. Go hard left. Refuse to compromise. Tell it like it is. Trust me, you can't lose if you go hard left.

Alas, so far the democrats are showing little ability to use this discontent to their advantage. Too worried they might upset Sean Hannity if they say anything intemperate about the GOP. Too afraid they might be called "liberal" if they actually try to propose any meaningful solutions to the country's problems. Too scared of being called "weak" if they propose anything other than continuing to blindly hang on in Iraq.

Things could change between now and next fall, but I suspect that once again they will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. (Even if key elections aren't rigged to begin with.)

And then after it's over they will scratch their heads and wonder how it happened and conclude that they have to make nice with the GOP and try even harder to appease all those red state "values voters." Because it's worked well so far. Oh, wait ...

Merlin,

Personally, I think that if both KY and NC are in play were talking re-allignment landslide.
But, those pickups aren't cheap to fill up at today's gas prices and NC has lost a lot of jobs scince Bush got fast track. The economy matters and people are learning hard lessons. Now, if the Dems. learn to be true outsiders and not share the blame for a mess they didn't make, they can win.

Which brings me to the following:

Damage,

If by hard left you mean to turn away from the self styled beltway moderates and mobilize the new voters from last year with an insurgent campaign I agree. Having read your posts in the past I suspect you of trollism. Nevertheless, your parody contains truth dispite yourself.

Most important, beware Cheneys moves in late August early September. He and his Iran/Contra holdovers are pushing for a pre-emptive strike against Iran. China and Russia are conducting first ever joint military maneuvers to protect their Asian influence. Don't let MSM ratchet up justification for this invasion. Last I heard Iran has TEN YEARS before they could have a nuclear weapon....more than enough time to kick the bums out and restore some sanity to our foreign policy. Beware Cheney!

I expect a massive return of gay marriage, anti-immigrant and flag-burning legislation.

In order to make an elephant disappear stage right, you need an enormous puff of smoke stage left.

America is in for a hard learning experence in the next three years. Kind of like what happened between 1929-32.

We already went through it, between 2000-2003.

The only problem "fighting like Cindy" has, is that you'll be called a flip-flopper. In 2004, she was satisfied when she met President Bush. Now, in 2005, she decides she's not satisfied.

We already went through it, between 2000-2003.

Muck,

Don't forget about the housing bubble, trends such as current Fed. policy and FWIW assuming your right about high oil prices being deflationary, a crash is almost unavoidable. Your way too optimistic, losing great value in a home(s) "en masse" will be a greater psycological scar collectivily than losing some money on that tech stock that really was too good to be true. Also, if home values fall enough that too many people owe more than own,the high default rates will also harm banking.

If a housing crash happens Americans will feel depresed. 2000-03 will feel more like 1979-83 with problems like stagflation and middle east crises damaging oil supplies. Difficult but no depression.

In 2004, she was satisfied when she met President Bush. Now, in 2005, she decides she's not satisfied.

Muck, are you any smarter now than you were a year ago? If not, why not?

Mucky is so much like bush - both can't help but lie and deceive.

So the Dem plan is to hope that the economy, Iraq, and hopefully a scandal will propel them to take over both houses and the Presidency? Good luck with that strategery. You will have to try a little harder than that and yes I think the gay marriage, flag burning and immigration are all valid issues that should be decided by the electorate. If you find yourself opposing the electorate on these issues are you not "out of mainstream" to coin a liberal phrase.