Stuck.

BUSH, George W. (George Walker), 1946-; KERRY, John, 1943-; BUSH, George, 1924-2018; REAGAN, Ronald, 1911-2004

The author claims that President George W. Bush's recent press conference on Iraq reinforced the impression among many voters that he is too stubborn. Before the press conference, some in the media believed that Bush's performance could tip the president's popularity one way or the other. But, instead of changing Bush's political momentum, Tuesday's performance just reinforced the public's opinion about what his most dominant trait is. It's not leadership or stupidity, the two characteristics most often ascribed to the president by his allies and foes. It's that he refuses to change his mind. [W]hile the president may have spent $40 million on advertising to convince swing voters that Kerry changes his mind too much, they apparently are more concerned that Bush changes his too little. Undoubtedly, there are some voters who use "stubbornness" as a term of admiration for Bush. Who wouldn't want a president to be stubborn about the hunt for terrorists, for example? But, overall, Bush's stubbornness seems to be slowly transforming from an asset into a liability. Swing voters still see Bush as a "strong leader," but increasingly they describe him as a stubborn, reckless, and arrogant one. The number of people saying the country is on the right track versus the wrong track--numbers that presidents live and die by--is approaching a 40/60 split, suggesting Bush is approaching a political tipping point.