Polipundit explores the internals of a CBS/New York Times poll, which provide some comfort to supporters of President Bush. Highlights:

John Kerry has a 41% favorable, 47% unfavorable rating. This is his worst rating ever.

President Bush has a 48% favorable, 41% unfavorable rating. That is his best rating since last December.

Undecided voters lean to President Bush 50%—47%, validating the Pew finding and calling the Gallup number into question.

66% of Bush voters strongly favor their candidate.

50% of Kerry voters strongly favor their candidate.

By a 49%—34% margin, voters expect President Bush to win.

President Bush has a 49%—44% job approval rating.

The right track today is 43%. In 1996, it was only 39%.

48% of voters will vote on national security issues; only 33% on domestic issues

Best of all:

the percentage of voters call themselves a liberal has declined to 17%, the lowest number since 1997. 35% call themselves conservative.

More than twice as many self—professed conservatives as liberals!

Ed Lasky   11 1 04