US President George W. Bush enjoyed an 11-point lead of support in the campaign for the White House over his rival, Democratic Senator John Kerry, according to a poll the Time magazine released Friday.

In the poll of 926 likely voters, taken from Tuesday to Thursday during the Republican National Convention, Bush won support of 52 percent voters, compared with 41 percent for Kerry and 3 percent for independent candidate Ralph Nader.

In a Time poll taken just before the convention, Bush ran almost neck and neck with Kerry, with Bush getting support of 46 percent voters and Kerry 44 percent. Nader got 5 percent in that poll.

The latest poll showed that Bush continued to enjoy the lead on the issue of battling terrorism and leadership. Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed said they trusted Bush over the war on terrorism, while 36 percent trusted Kerry. On the war in Iraq, 59 percent of those surveyed said they approved the way Bush handled it, while 38 percent disapproved.

Fifty-six percent of those surveyed said they trusted Bush's leadership in difficult times, while only 37 percent said they trusted Kerry.

The poll also showed that Bush got almost the same approval rating on economy as Kerry, eroding Kerry's advantage on this most important domestic issue.

Pollsters said that the result of the poll should be treated with caution because it was taken at a time when Bush got all the spotlight during his party's convention.

(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2004)