Democrats' own mood poll scares them

WASHINGTON, June 29 (UPI) -- A poll on the political mood in the United States conducted by the Democratic Party has alarmed the party at its own loss of popularity.

Conducted by the party-affiliated Democracy Corps, the poll indicated 43 percent of voters favored the Republican Party, while 38 percent had positive feelings about Democrats.

"Republicans weakened in this poll ... but it shows Democrats weakening more," said Stanley Greenberg, who served as President Clinton's pollster.

Greenberg told the Christian Science Monitor he attributes the slippage to voters' perceptions that Democrats have "no core set of convictions or point of view."

Fellow strategist James Carville said the war in Iraq and rising fuel prices are affecting party loyalty as well.

"The country is just in a foul mood," Carville said. He noted within the same poll, 56 percent of Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction.

The poll was conducted June 20-26 and queried 1,078 likely voters. The margin of error was pegged at 3 points.