This is just not a good day for Mr. Kerry. CBS Poll: Vets Favor Bush http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/04/opinion/polls/main621136.shtml (CBS) Veterans' evaluations of the war in Iraq are slightly more optimistic than those of the American public overall -- although even veterans question how well things are going for the U.S. in Iraq and whether the war is worth the costs, a CBS News poll finds. And as both presidential candidates vie for the veterans vote in 2004, right now President Bush holds a clear lead among those who have served. Veterans are also more likely than other voters to approve of how the president is handling both Iraq and the overall war on terror. Even though they are not generally upbeat about the how the war in Iraq is going for U.S., veterans are more positive than Americans overall: 47% think things are going well, and 51% think the war is going badly.
I'm guessing they mean even more non vets think the war is going badly. While 51% of the vets think the war is going badly, maybe 55% (random number) of the non vets think so.
As if this was not to be expected? John Kerry came back from Vietnam with a questionable Purple Heart, but then he falsely accused our troops of widespread war crimes in Vietnam. He is no friend of veterans.
How was Kerry brought into this. This article just says that the Vets hate Bush than the rest of us do. Only slightly over half of the vets think that bush is screwing up in Iraq. I'm sure suprised that this is from a so called "leftwing" media cuz it definitely seems that the story tries to have a right wing slant.
Wake up! Just because something is going badly does not mean that anyone is screwing up. There is a living, breathing opposition who are willing willing maybe even eager to die for their cause.
No. Did you not read this part: And as both presidential candidates vie for the veterans vote in 2004, right now President Bush holds a clear lead among those who have served. And I didn't make the title anyway. It came directly from the article.
Wasn't accusing you of anything Faos. That's why I was confused. The title seems not to be consistent with the tenor of the article. That's all
ANALYSIS The power of the Veteran Vote BY MICHAEL DENNEHY (BIO) For years, professional campaign operatives and the media have questioned the importance of the veteran vote in elections. Many appropriate questions have been asked. Do veterans typically vote? Are veterans apt to become active in campaigns? How does a campaign effectively target veteran voters? Most importantly, what motivates a veteran voter? John McCain’s campaign in 2000 was successful in developing a strong organization for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the candidate himself. However, a war hero and former POW will rarely run for the White House, much less Congress or Governor. There in lies the first challenge of any campaign. Historically, campaigns have either taken veterans for granted or haven’t spent the necessary time and energy to organize an intensive effort. For instance, in 1988 and 1996, Bob Dole had overwhelming credentials and an incredible story to tell as a veteran of World War II. The campaign was smart enough to tell the story, but they simply expected vets to come out and vote for Dole because he was a decorated veteran. Big mistake. It’s impossible to say if Bob Dole would have gone on to defeat George H. W. Bush in 1988 or Pat Buchanan in the NH Primary in1996 with a well-oiled veteran machine, but there is no question that it could have only helped. We know much more about veterans today than we knew in the late 80’s and 90’s. Veterans’ issues are becoming much more important to their community as less and less vets are being elected to office. Their top advocate in Congress continues to be John McCain, but attorneys and professional politicians are rapidly outnumbering veterans on the hill. Veterans care most about mandatory funding for Veterans Administration health care, concurrent receipt and strengthening national defense. Concurrent receipt is when disability pay is deducted from retirement pay. Vets refer to this as the disability tax. Most veterans want more pay for our troops and an increase in active duty military to cut down on the back-to-back tours of duty. While a veteran’s ideal candidate is someone with extensive military experience, the most important thing a candidate can do is to prioritize veterans’ issues and make a strong commitment to their community. Candidates who pay attention to veterans and involve them in their campaign will be rewarded with their support. A perfect example is the support Governor Craig Benson has earned from veterans. Benson has absolutely no military experience and was known as a computer geek who made it big. To his credit, he spent many hours listening to veterans and making a concerted effort to participate in veterans’ events. On the other hand, former Governor Jeanne Shaheen was criticized for showing no interest in veteran’s issues and skipping annual ceremonies. Properly organized, veterans can make a huge difference in the outcome of an election. After all, there are 140,000 civilian veterans in New Hampshire. Considering 50,000 votes could win this year’s democratic presidential primary, any campaign would be happy with just ten percent of the veterans’ vote. Here’s a hint – start listening, start courting and start organizing. Michael Dennehy is President of The Dennehy Group based in Concord, New Hampshire. The Dennehy Group is a government relations firm specializing in national grassroots strategy. Dennehy is a former Republican National Committeeman and was the campaign manager for John McCain’s presidential campaign in New Hampshire.
Foas...you're not coming back to this, but I'm raising it again: You were accusing me, I assume, and Kerry of a prejudical perspective when it was obvious you had only read part of the opening paragraph of the article I posted ( which takes no position, Rep. or Dem., but was merely I though informative, and actually ends up with a conclusion that is the exact opposite of what you said here).and made a prejudiced leap. I thinkl an acknowledgment of error and apology are in order, don't you? Don't assume everyone is as biased as you seem to be.
Kerry volunteered to serve his country, and earned numerous medals for his combat bravery. He knows what war is, and what sacrifices it requires. He knows that wars aren't fought with candy and valentines, so he is rightfully vocal about the horrors of combat. Who knows more about war than those who fought? Bush used family connections to secure a place in the National Guard and then *literally* went AWOL from that plum position. He's been as close to combat as I have. What does he know about war? If I were a soldier, I'd rather be commanded by someone who knows what I'm going through and what sacrifices I'll be required to make. In other words, someone who didn't puss out and hide when asked to do the exact same thing.
He has deveopled the same habit of taking ab hominem substancless shots, and then often disappearing when confronted. Maybe, like T_J, he'll wait for a few hours than come back and announce victory.
