Dems Now Competitive On National Security Thanks To BushCo's Port Deal

From Rasmussen Reports:

From a political perspective, President Bush's national security credentials have clearly been tarnished due to the outcry over this issue. For the first time ever, Americans have a slight preference for Democrats in Congress over the President on national security issues. Forty-three percent (43%) say they trust the Democrats more on this issue today while 41% prefer the President.

The preference for the opposition party is small, but the fact that Democrats are even competitive on the national security front is startling. In Election 2002, the President guided his party to regain control of the Senate based almost exclusively on the national security issue. On Election Day that year, just 23% rated the economy as good or excellent, but the President's Party still emerged victorious.

In Election 2004, national security was again the decisive issue as the President won re-election. Voters consistently expressed a preference for George W. Bush over John Kerry when it came to issues surrounding the War on Terror.

That 41% number for Bush is indeed startling. Is this just merely a short-term slide based on the outcry over the Port Debacle, or are Americans finally abandoning their "Only Bush Can Protect Us From The Terrorists" delusion and finally coming to the realization that Bush is himself a threat to national security? If the latter is true, then Bush and the Republicans are in big trouble, because the national security issue has been their bread and butter for the past few years.