Bush's style change: gentleness to war leader

At the midpoint of his term, President Bush's standing with the public has in some ways come full circle: Polls show support for the president, which soared in the wake of Sept. 11, is back down to levels similar to when he entered office.

But if Mr. Bush's approval ratings haven't seen a net change, there's no doubt that his image in the eyes of most Americans has evolved dramatically.

Over the past two years, the man who campaigned as a compassionate conservative - a kinder, gentler Republican who would change the tone in Washington and focus on issues such as education and faith-based initiatives - has largely vanished, say Democrats and Republicans alike. In his place is a tough-talking wartime leader who is boldly - some say brashly - pushing an ambitious conservative agenda. Polls show that most Americans regard him as, above all, strong and decisive, though they don't always agree with his policies.

The striking shift is partly the result of circumstance: Although Bush spent his early months in office focusing on domestic priorities like his education bill, 9/11 brought national-security and foreign-policy issues to the fore, pushing him onto more traditionally Republican turf. And his party's victories in last fall's congressional elections have given him more of a mandate, with less need for compromise.

But observers also say that Bush's new style seems in many ways a more natural fit - and one that may help his chances of reelection.

"It's interesting, because here's a guy who ran on compassionate conservatism in 2000 - and [now], his greatest attribute is 'strong, dynamic leader,' " says Frank Luntz, a Republican pollster. "The styles are different - how he communicates and what he says, his tone, his whole demeanor is different. And people see that."

According to a recent Gallup poll, three-quarters of Americans rate Bush as a strong and decisive leader, and more than half see him as someone who is willing to make hard decisions. Although the poll found his overall approval rating had dropped to below 60 percent - its lowest level since 9/11 - it is still higher than ratings for presidents Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and Jimmy Carter at equivalent points in their terms, and similar to ratings for the first President Bush.

"Since 9/11, he has become the tough decision-maker - a Ronald Reagan-, Teddy Roosevelt-style Republican," says independent pollster John Zogby. "And so far, it's paid off for him."

STRONG approval ratings this far out don't necessarily mean Bush's will have an easy road to reelection: Witness what happened to his father. But his high marks on leadership could prove a more important indicator. For one thing, they points to an image of Bush that emerged right after 9/11 but seems to have taken hold, to a large extent, even as his overall ratings declined. And some suggest that this might make Bush less vulnerable in another crisis.

"Americans will not forget his reaction to 9/11," predicts Mr. Luntz. "And that will carry him through some very difficult days."

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