They are very skilled at campaigning and attacking their opponents, where as republicans tend to be sissies that don't really tell their side very well, they just take the attacks and don't respond.
This was an accurate assessment prior to 9/11. The average American 5 yrs ago couldn't find Iraq in a map.
The nation is in a more conservative mood and pro military than it has been in my lifetime.
To do the recent history of Presidents:
1-Billy Jeff Clinton won twice without ever gaining a majority thanks only to Mr Perot. The country never really liked or trusted him but a strong economy, no war, and the opposition being split made him the luckiest person ever to hold the office.
2-Bush I was elected solely because of the Reagan connection. When the nation found out he was a closet liberal the conservatives turned on him and the party was over. After reneging on "no new taxes" it was all downhill.
3-Ronald Reagan was a straight shooter and probably the most popular President ever. If not for term limits he might still be there. Whether you agreed with him or not nobody argued that the man had the best interests of the nation guiding him.
4-Jimmuh Cahtuh was elected because after Watergate the populace was ready to vote for ANYONE without a DC connection. When it was found that he was just LBJ v2.0 he was on the bus back to the peanut farm. Possibly the most honest and intelligent person to ever hold the office but an abysmal leader. The people trusted him but didn't believe in him.
5-Gerald Ford. Never elected. Couldn't walk and chew gum. Pardoned Nixon. Nuff said.
6-Slick Dick Nixon. Similar to Billy Jeff was elected in a split race. Similar to Reagan the people loved him, at first, and he won again in a landslide. Similar to Billy Jeff he was found to be a scofflaw. Dissimilar to Clinton he did the honorable thing and resigned. The last President of the innocent age of modern politics and the media.
7-LBJ. Similar to Bush I he was elected in 1964 because of the association with JFK. Seeing the writing on the wall he declined to run after the public lost faith in his ability to govern.
8-JFK. Elected in a close race against an unpopular VP. Murdered.
9-Dwight D Eisenhower. War hero. Trusted. Popular. Honorable. Elected twice. Could have won again if he wanted to.
10-Harry Truman. Got the job by the death of FDR. Unpopular in the media. Underqualified for the job. The people knew it...but they liked him AND truusted him. Everyone said he could't win in 1948...they were all wrong.
The point of this, other than being long winded, is that to be re-elected you have to be popular, or liked, and you have to be TRUSTED most of all. A majority of Americans has never re-elected a President that they did not trust.
Overall Bush II has many characteristics of Reagan such as being unafraid to take his case to the people and unafraid to combat smear tactics which the Dems rely on.
However more than any post war President he resembles Truman. Probably not the most qualified person for the job BUT people like him and trust him as a whole.
He has none of the indecisive tendencies which doomed Carter, LBJ, and his father.
He also has none of the dishonest traits of Slick Dick or Billy Jeff. The more he is accused of dishonesty the more strong his support seems to get. Without hard evidence dumping on George II is a political mistake.
IMHO Dubya is going to win by at least a 55%-45% margin, and maybe more.
PEACE