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Poll: Cheney choice fails to catch fire with voters

PHILADELPHIA (CNN) -- George W. Bush's lead over Al Gore continues to grow, but while Dick Cheney's reputation as a conservative may turn out to be a net plus for the GOP ticket, there is no evidence that the Cheney choice has had much impact on the voting public, according to the latest CNN/Time poll.

Bush heads into his party's convention with solid support from the GOP's rank and file -- a stark contrast to four years ago, when nearly half of all Republicans nationwide thought that the party should nominate someone else besides Bob Dole. (Gore's support is not as solid as Bush's, but only a third of Democratic voters think that the party should nominate someone else).

Cheney appears to have a negligible effect on the public -- two-thirds say his presence on the ticket makes no difference to them -- and, significantly, those numbers have barely changed since a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll on Monday night, an indication that Cheney's nomination has not caught fire in the past few days.

But the fact that he is very conservative is a net plus. Forty-four percent say that Cheney's conservative ideology makes them feel more favorably toward Cheney; only 22 percent say that it makes them feel less favorably toward him.

Cheney's experience as a congressman and secretary of defense is also an advantage, while his connections to an oil company and the fact that he ran Bush's vice presidential selection process are not major concerns.

Cheney's health problems, however, are a net minus, although most Americans are unconcerned about his history of heart attacks.

The poll, conducted July 26-27, consisted of interviews with 1,255 adult Americans, including 684 likely voters.

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Likely voters' choice for president


Bush       52%

Gore       36

Nader       5

Buchanan    4

Sampling error: +/-3.5% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Likely voters' choice for president


Bush       56%

Gore       41

Sampling error: +/-3.5% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Effect of Cheney choice on your vote


More likely for Bush    18%

Less likely for Bush    13

No effect               66

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Cheney's experience as secretary of defense makes you feel more favorable, less favorable or has no effect on how you feel about him?


More favorable      60%

Less favorable       9

No effect           29

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Cheney's experience as a congressman makes you feel more favorable, less favorable or has no effect on how you feel about him?


More favorable      55%

Less favorable       8

No effect           34

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Cheney's record as conservative makes you feel more favorable, less favorable or has no effect on how you feel about him?


More favorable      44%

Less favorable      22

No effect           32

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Cheney's health problems make you feel more favorable, less favorable or have no effect on how you feel about him?


More favorable       7%

Less favorable      28

No effect           64

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Cheney's experience with an oil company makes you feel more favorable, less favorable or has no effect on how you feel about him?


More favorable      22%

Less favorable      25

No effect           50

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Cheney's running the vice presidential selection process makes you feel more favorable, less favorable or has no effect on how you feel about him?


More favorable      29%

Less favorable      14

No effect           54

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Cheney's lack of military service makes you feel more favorable, less favorable or has no effect on how you feel towards him?


More favorable       6%

Less favorable      25

No effect           65

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Asked of Republicans: Should the GOP nominate someone else?


                 Yes     No


Dole in 1996     48%     48%

Bush Now         18      78

Sampling error: +/-5% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Asked of Republicans: Who should the GOP nominate?


Bush           78%

Someone else   18

Sampling error: +/-5% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Asked of Democrats: Who should the Democratic Party nominate?


Gore           64%

Someone else   33

Sampling error: +/-5% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Are you more interested in conventions this year than in previous years?


Republicans      34%

Democrats        28

Independents     20

Sampling error: +/-6% pts

Former President George Bush's influence on his son's vice-presidential pick has been a topic of discussion, but Cheney's association with Bush the elder does not concern most Americans and the former president should get a good reception when he appears at the GOP convention next week.

Thirty percent say that Cheney's association with the elder Bush makes them feel more favorably toward him; only 16 percent say that it makes them feel less favorably toward Cheney. Most Americans do not think that George W. Bush relies on his father's advice too often, and the elder Bush has a higher favorable rating than his son. One caveat: more Americans think that the government was better run in the Clinton administration than during the Bush era.

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Cheney's friendship with Bush's father makes you feel more favorable, less favorable or has no effect on how you feel about him as a running mate?


More favorable      30%

Less favorable      16

No effect           53

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Does Bushy rely too often on his father's advice?


Yes      30%

No       54

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

The government was run better during the Clinton administration or the Bush administration?


Clinton administration    47%

Bush administration       42

Sampling error: +/-3% pts

CNN/TIME POLL

July 26-27

Favorable ratings


Former President Bush   68%

George W. Bush          61

Sampling error: +/-3% pts