WASHINGTON — It is no secret that a lack of job creation has emerged as a pivotal election issue. But a new Los Angeles Times Poll suggests that Americans’ pocketbook concerns extend well beyond the labor market, and the public thinks that Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry would better look out for their financial futures than would President Bush.
Asked to name the candidate who would be "best at protecting the financial security of the average American," 47 percent named Kerry, while 34 percent picked Bush.
Among independents, a group that could play a crucial role in determining the winner of the presidential election in November, the gap was even wider: 49 percent for Kerry and 26 percent for Bush.
Those polled also view the Bush White House as much more aligned with business interests than the interests of workers, and they express doubts about the integrity of corporate America.
A 63 percent majority said the president was more concerned about corporations, while 21 percent said workers. The view that the president sides with big business over workers has increased over time. In an August 2002 Times Poll, 55 percent felt that way.
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