1.   But at the very moment he needs it, Joe Kennedy finds his popularity is eroding like a sand bar in a hurricane.

2.   Its popularity is eroding.

3.   Klaus, a brash conservative, saw his early popularity erode as the economy weakened.

4.   But his popularity eroded because of the many difficult decisions he had to take, including unprecedented economic austerity measures required for European monetary union.

5.   But its popularity has eroded over the years as its leaders have gotten embroiled in scandals.

6.   He has since seen his popularity erode due largely to an economic slump.

7.   The Free Democrats have seen their popularity erode since the former foreign minister, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, retired as party chairman three years ago.

8.   With his popularity fast eroding, Mugabe has attempted to squash dissent via an often-violent campaign against the opposition and the independent media.