Response by Rick Thigpen

The good news for George Bush is that he remains relatively close to John Kerry in a state that he lost by over half a million votes in 2000. The real news is that George Bush has maxed out somewhere in the low 40s. The poll makes clear that John Kerry should win New Jersey but that their remains a lot of work to do from building name recognition right down to persuading voters that he is truly the best choice for President.

The bottom line is Bush has got what he's got and Kerry still has to get what he's going to get.

Comment by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind Academic Associate, Rick Thigpen (J.D., Columbia University Law School). Rick is a former Executive Director of the New Jersey Democratic Party and now a partner in The Strategy Group and is a campaign coordinator for the Essex County Democratic Party. Rick Thigpen, Esq. can be reached at (609) 394-0888.