Poll puts Kerry ahead of Bush

US Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is leading in a hypothetical two-way race with President George Bush, says a new opinion poll.

Democrats are confident Kerry will win

The latest Newsweek poll reported on Saturday indicates Kerry would get 49% of the votes compared to Bush’s 42% in a three-way race, with independent candidate Ralph Nader getting 3%.

The poll of 1010 adults was taken on 29-30 July as the Democratic National Convention in Boston wound down.

The latest opinion poll also showed 60% of those asked said Bush’s policies and diplomatic efforts had led to more anti-American feelings around the world.

Twenty-five percent thought they had not had much effect and 9% thought they had improved feelings towards the US.

Of those asked, 43% thought that in trying to achieve his foreign policy, Bush had not done enough to involve major allies and international organisations, 38% thought it was the right amount and 11% thought it was too much.

Thirty-eight percent said the way people in other countries feel about America ”mattered a lot,” compared to 33% ”somewhat,” 11% ”not too much” and 13% ”not at all”.

Source: News Agencies