Demagogue

It used to be that any report coming from Fox News was guaranteed to put a smile on conservatives' faces. But according to a new Fox News poll:

If the election were held today, 48 percent of Americans say they would vote for the Democratic candidate in their congressional district and 30 percent for the Republican candidate. This 18-percentage point edge is up from an 8-point advantage in mid-July and a 13-point lead in June.

"It is clear that the Republicans need some good news between now and November to recover their electoral strength," comment Opinion Dynamics Chairman John Gorman. "Increasingly this election looks like it will be decided by the ugly mood of the electorate."

The Democrats’ lead is obtained by not only retaining the support of most self-identified Democrats (89 percent), but also support from a large minority of independents (38 percent). Only 14 percent of independents say they would vote for the Republican candidate today. The level of support among party faithful is lower among Republicans, as 79 percent say they would vote for the GOP candidate.

... Among those saying Iraq will be very important to their vote, 48 percent say they plan to back the Democratic candidate and 31 percent the Republican candidate in the upcoming election.