Do You Think It's All Going to Come Down to the Vets???

[ItsMyParty]

Was thinking this a.m. while watching Kerry's speech to the Vets. We know statistically for several years where our strenths and where our weaknesses are concerning various blocks of voters. We do great with the Black community. We attract more women voters than do the repubs. But we fail with a capital 'F' with white males.

Thinking about the various 'blocks', I can't name one of 'ours' that has turned south on us during this election period. I don't see any of our "usuals" leaving us or becoming greatly weakened, etc. But I do see that the #1 worry for Bush/Rove has to be in the ranks of the white, male, republican voter, verterans. (I don't see those vets who vote Dem in this block jumping over to support Mr. AWOL). All Kerry has to do is get a small percent of these usual republican vets in this close election and Bush is history.

This explains why the whoring media is spending more time with the Swiftboat paid-for drunks than with the guys who actually were on the boat with Kerry. This is the one area Rove wants to stop any bleeding from. I believe that the MoveOn ad was, of course, worked out with the Kerry camp. They needed to have Kerry look above the fray but hit back and bring this AWOL issue back to the forefront (sort of like Bush's operatives in SC did to McCain and Bush could claim he certainly had nothing to do with it).

I'm beginning to think that this whole election could come down to Kerry not just wooing vets but by having 'operatives' get more and more info out to the public about the boy who drank, snorted coke and went AWOL while others had to go out and get their butts blown off for the US of A. They say the Swiftboat vets won other elections for Kerry---I'd stay with the same plan only jack it up more. It's inexcusable if Kerry can't bury this bastard on this issue. I believe that there is still going to be a certain percentage of these vets who just can't turn their back on a guy who actually served in combat and that's why I hope he pounds this issue for the next two months. I think this is the voter we need to 'swing'.

[Doosh]

1. the GOP will still win the majority of veterans

but Kerry will carve up a much larger chunk of the votes than Clinton or Gore ever did. To me, that's a victory.

[ItsMyParty]

2. Doosh--that's what I meant. I don't mean that he has to sweep

the vets vote. I'm saying that if he can carve off a small chunk of these guys (the white male who votes republican), like 5% or more, it's enough to win this close election and that has to make Bush sweat. Bush is running out of ammo on this one (after the SwiftBoat boys); that's why I'd love to see Kerry pour it on in this area. Just a handful of these guys can deliver Kerry. I understand that that is what basically gave him his Iowa victory.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

4. Bush might win a majority of vets in AL or UT, but not where it counts.

Democratic challenger John Kerry holds a 47 – 42 percent lead over President George W. Bush among Pennsylvania voters, with 4 percent for independent candidate Ralph Nader, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

This is little changed from Sen. Kerry’s 46 – 41 percent lead over President Bush, with 5 percent for Nader, in a July 14 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN uh-pe-ack) University.

Pennsylvania voters disapprove 52 – 45 percent of the job Bush is doing. By a narrow 48 – 46 percent margin, they say going to war in Iraq was the wrong thing to do.

Military veterans or voters with a household member who is a veteran or currently in active duty or reserve service support Kerry 46 – 42 percent, with 6 percent for Nader.

These voters from military families say 54 – 41 percent that the war is wrong.
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x12945.xml

[ItsMyParty]

7. Fean---I'm confused (which is not uncommon)

I'm reading those stats from the poll. In that 46-42 for Kerry among vets or people who have vet relatives, etc., is there any indication how many of them would have voted republican but it was because of Kerry being a REAL vet (as opposed to AWOL)that made them favor Kerry? For all we know it could be these people who are right now the difference between us winning or losing in PA.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

8. Well, the followup question you pose was not asked in the poll

so, I dunno. But, I would say the other result from the poll is significant: Voters from military families say 54 – 41 percent that the war is wrong, but among all PA voters the margin is much smaller, 48% say it was wrong, to 46%. So those more closely affected by Bush's Iraq war are more opposed to it.

[bluedog]

3. thats what puzzles me

here you have Vets who fought in Wars........put their lives on the line......yet they stand behind bush...........almost idolize him..........the awol.........non fighting idiot......who cut their benefits.....

Either these guys have big investments in his oil companies.....or they have a mental detrioration.....

I think they just like the smirks and jokes that bushy boy makes.......



and the question is ::::::::does his team hand pick the vets who are allowed to hear him?

[tokenlib]

5. The vets who have seen the VA health system meltdown ....

The underfunding and understaffing is dreadful. The veterans who haven't experienced the frustrations are still blind and deluded by the republicans--but there is a big shift taking place. A lot of veterans are fianlly learning that their real friends are democrats.

Veterans could be a real key to this election--either way.

[seventhson]

6. Kerry will win the veteran's votes. They know Bush was AWOL and is still

guitly of dereliction of his duties.

The election will be a big win for Kerry due to the vets.

They are smartr and patriotic people and they see right through Bush and his lies.