The Honolulu Advertiser from Honolulu, Hawaii • 9

PM EDITH)? A16 1 Friday, July 23, 2004 The Honolulu Advertiser Poll KPOI track is down from 58 percent last month; the percentage that says the economy is doing well edged up from 51 percent last month to 55 percent now. But both those changes are within the survey's margin of error. Kerry's lead has also dwindled since June. In the new survey, he leads Bush by 48 percent to 46 percent in a two way-match up; last month he led by seven percentage points. In a three-way contest, Kerry now draws 46 percent, Bush 44 percent and Nader 3 percent; last month, Kerry held a six-percentage point lead in this match-up.

Possibly worrisome for Bush are attitudes expressed by the seven percent who describe themselves as undecided in the three-way race. Among these voters, 60 percent say the country is on the wrong track and nearly 70 percent believe the nation needs a new policy direction. That could make them a receptive audience for Kerry if he can reach them: by more than four to one, these voters say they don't yet know enough about him to decide whether he would be better than Bush. The survey finds the electorate dividing along familiar lines. Bush leads among whites, men, married voters, regular church-attenders and those who live in rural areas; Kerry leads among minorities, women, singles, those who attend church less frequently and urban voters.

Mostly, the poll shows a stability of attitudes since the June survey, demonstrating the persistence of Bush's strengths and the doubts that have accumulated about his performance. Overall, Americans split almost exactly in half on Bush's job performance, with 51 percent approving and 48 percent disapproving virtually the same re- suit as June. As in last month's poll, majorities disapproved of his handling of Iraq and the economy. These judgments about Bush's performance remain perhaps the single most important force in the electioa Among those who approve of Bush's performance, the president leads Kerry 84 percent to 9 percent, with Nader drawing 1 percent. Among those who disapprove, Kerry leads Bush by 85 percent to 4 percent, with Nader drawing 5 percent Although the administration has hoped that the transfer of power to an interim Iraqi government late last month would mark a turning point, attitudes about the war in Iraq remain tilted slightly against Bush.

Asked if the "situation in Iraq was worth going to war over," 51 percent said no; 44 percent yes. Likewise, 51 percent said that after the Senate Intelligence Committee report finding no evidence that Iraq was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction, they now considered the war a "mistake;" 45 percent said the war was still "justified because it would make the Mideast more stable and the U.S. a safer place." Kinard, the former mail clerk, is among those drawn to Bush because of his decision to overthrow former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. "Hopefully, it is going to make some of the terrorists think twice or make some of the other countries think twice about letting terrorists operate out of their territory," he said. But Kerry leads Bush by 76 percent to 15 percent (with Nader drawing 4 percent) among those who believe the war wasn't worth it.

Retired Montana contractor Ray Duffy usually votes Republican and luces Bush's economic agenda. But, he said, he is considering Kerry, largely because he disapproves of the war. ary president John Detz of the two stations he is retaining in the sale. However, he was not at liberty to discuss programming changes at the two New Wave stations he is turning over to Salem. Detz said it would have been possible to operate KPOI for one year under an FCC waiver, but that didn't fit into Visionary's plans.

"That's short-term," he said. "We believe radio is part of the community and requires long-term commitment." After finalizing its transactions with New Wave and Salem, Visionary will have a network of eight stations on O'ahu that's one more than Texas-based Clear Channel Communication's seven. Visionary, which also owns five stations on Kaua'i and four on Maui and the Big Island, will be the largest broadcasting conglomerate in Hawai'L Salem has filed with FCC requesting the call-letter change to KHNR at the 97.5 FM frequency. KHNR-AM, also owned by Salem, will continue at 650 on the dial, said T.J. Malievsky, Salem vice president and general manager.

Programming for KHUI 99.5 FM, now called "Bob FM" and formerly known as "The Breeze," also remains up in the air. Malievsky said he couldn't discuss programming or other matters because of confidentiality agreements. Salem operates conservative talk and Christian music stations nationwide, including Christian radio station KAIM 95.5 FM and conservative talk station KGU 760 AM on O'ahu. Reach Wayne Harada at 525-8067, wharadahonolulu advertiser.com or fax 525-8055. less likely than Kerry to shift positions for political advantage.

"I think Kerry would worry about what other people are saying rather than getting it done," said Sherri Gibson, a Bush supporter from Willow Springs, Mo. But the discontent evident in the poll suggests Kerry is likely to receive the traditional "bounce" from the convention if he can use the opportunity to impress voters such as Kinard and Mancini. Among the 59 percent who say they know enough about Kerry to evaluate him, the Massachusetts senator leads Bush by 10 percentage points; among the 34 percent who say they don't know Kerry well, Bush leads by 12 percentage points. The survey's results fit within the range of other polls conducted since Kerry chose Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina as his running mate this month.

Like the Times poll, three other surveys released since Tuesday have shown Kerry with a 1- or 2-percentage-point lead. The Edwards selection received good grades in the Times poll: 59 percent described it as excellent or good; just 26 percent saw it as only fair or poor. Similarly, 56 percent of voters viewed Edwards favorably, while 22 percent viewed him unfavorably. That's much better than the showing for Vice President Dick Cheney 46 percent viewed him favorably, while 43 percent were negative about him. Bush's favorableunfavorable ratings were 52 percent and 47 percent, respectively; Kerry's were 58 percent and 36 percent.

There was one equivocal result for Edwards: 50 percent saw him as qualified to step in as president, 31 percent did not. By comparison, 59 percent judged Cheney qualified to become president, while 35 percent did not. Also, 72 percent of Republicans, as well as about half of independents, say they want Cheney to remain on the GOP ticket. The poll found signs of positive trends for Bush since the June survey. The 54 percent who say the country is on the wrong CONTINUED FROM A1 surveyed 1,529 registered voters from Saturday through Wednesday.

The sample included 977 respondents judged to be likely voters. The margin of error for both groups was plus or minus 3 percentage points. The poll shows Kerry has progressed in making his case to voters. Nearly three-fifths say he is qualified to be commander in chief, traditionally a key hurdle for a challenger. And just over four-fifths of his supporters say they are certain to vote for him, equal to the percentage of Bush supporters who say they are locked in.

But one-third of voters, a portion virtually unchanged from June, say they do not know enough about Kerry to decide whether he would be a better president than Bush. "I just haven't really followed anything yet, but I'm starting now," said poll respondent Mark Kinard, a former mail clerk from Wallingford, who leans toward Bush. "I'll start listening to what Kerry has to say. He could change my mind. I want to hear before I pull the lever." The survey suggests that in this narrowly divided nation, one key voter bloc may be those who believe the country needs a new direction but say they are not familiar enough with Kerry to determine whether he can provide that.

This group, just over one-sixth of those polled, includes Donna Mancini, a nursery school owner in Bellmawr, N.J. Mancini calls herself "extremely unhappy" with Bush over the economy and Iraq, yet uncertain whether to support Kerry or not vote. "I would have to learn a whole more about" Kerry, she said. "He's really got to do enough to make me trust him." The survey shows reservoirs of strength for Bush including nearly unified backing from Republicans, majority support for his handling of the war against terrorism and a sense that he is i l-js a it CONTINUED FROM A1 "KPOI still is the best call letters in the state; it has to come back," said radio veteran Tom Moffatt, who was one of the original on-air Poi Boys in the 1950s when the station broadcast on an AM frequency, and who helped pioneer Top 40 and the FM album track format with the station through the 1970s. KPOI dominated the airwaves through the 1960s and 1970s, though its power has diminished.

In recent years, the station has failed to make the list of the Top 10 most-listened-to stations, as measured by Arbitron ratings. At www.hawaiithreads.com, where Web surfers chat online about media developments, posters have been pondering and lamenting the imminent change. "No KPOI? Ouch! Das what you call one major bummer," one said. FCC regulations allow owners to hold no more than four AM and four FM stations in a market. Visionary already operates one AM and two FM stations on O'ahu.

To stay within the FCC limit, Visionary will keep only two of the New Wave stations it is buying: KDDB 102.7 FM and KQMQ. 93.1 FM. KPOI and KHUI 99.5 FM are being sold to Salem Media of Hawai'i, a subsidiary of California-based Salem Communications, for $3.7 million, pending FCC approval. "There will be absolutely no changes with respect to Da Bomb (KDDB 102.7 FM) and FM)," said Vision iees. Motoring accessories I MOSAIC SHEEPSKIN SEATCOVERS I I 1 I i I The Gold Zone is for loading up on prestige and unloading high rates Pair i I rnrr i i.ii.i.: riNXC IIIMdllcUIUII 1 yr.

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