New L.A. Times Poll

If you're wondering what to do today, I suggest you check out this new L.A. Times Poll (registration required). The headline is "Voters Shift in Favor of Kerry", which is what you'd expect from the liberal L.A. Times, but the article is much more layered and interesting than that. One point that I found particularly interesting was the issue of flip-flopping. The article states, predictably, that Kerry is perceived as a flip-flopper while Bush is perceived as a strong leader. One quote:

Bush is a very strong person, and that's what we need for a president," said Harley Wilber, a machine operator in Milwaukee and a Vietnam veteran. "If we had Kerry … in there, [he] would be kind of wishy-washy."

This is to be expected, given the Bush ad campaign. However, the article goes on to say:

But for Bush, the flip side of the flip-flop charge is a deepening perception that he is too rigid: By a resounding 58% to 16%, poll respondents said the phrase "too ideological and stubborn" applied more to Bush than to Kerry.

Bill Baggett, a retired accountant in Commerce Township, Mich., said he preferred Kerry's willingness to change his mind over what he saw as Bush's intransigence. Kerry's flexibility, Baggett said, "to me is a sign of intelligence."

So which is it, America? The pussy-footer or the mule?