Here's why:
Here's another reason:
Posted on 10/31/2004 1:48:05 AM PST by ambrose
Polls suggest that veterans prefer Bush; no clear answer why
By CHRISTOPHER KRIVA, cjkriva@naplesnews.com
October 31, 2004
The battle for the veterans' vote in the presidential race reached a boiling point in Naples in recent days, with Republicans sending Arizona Sen. John McCain, a former Vietnam prisoner of war, and Democrats dispatching former Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig.
Some area veterans say Sen. John Kerry's combat record leaves many unanswered questions. Others say President George W. Bush's foreign policy has left the military badly overextended and in need of new direction.
This year, polls suggest that veterans as a group — nationally and in Florida — favor Bush over Kerry by a substantial margin. There is no clear answer why. What is clear is that military service frames a stark choice between two men with clashing foreign policy views.
"I wouldn't vote for Kerry if it was a one-person race," said Bob Petersen, 66, of Naples, a non-combat Navy veteran.
Veterans who oppose Kerry base their views on three primary issues: questions about the medals Kerry earned while piloting a Swift boat during the Vietnam War; his public, vocal criticism of the war upon returning to the United States and his record in the U.S. Senate, which opponents say is deficient on military and defense issues.
Upon returning from his Vietnam tour, Kerry testified in 1971 before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations regarding his opposition to the war.
Some veterans have interpreted Kerry's various remarks, including references to war crimes by others, as a slap in the face to those who served.
"Kerry has never said, 'I'm sorry for what I did,'" Petersen said.
A nonprofit group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, took to the airwaves in battleground states — including Florida — throughout the summer with anti-Kerry advertisements, questioning Kerry's 1971 remarks and the validity of his medals.
"I hate to see (the ads), but I understand it. He insulted the living hell out of us," said Ray Truelove, 64, of Naples, a veteran of the Marine Corps.
"Some of the ads I take with a grain of salt. I don't think they're fair or appropriate," said Naples resident Bernard Weiss, 70, a retired Air Force major general.
Some veterans supporting Bush acknowledge Kerry's right to speak out.
"He has a right to do what he did (after) Vietnam. It wasn't a popular war. I didn't feel proud when I returned. I respect the man's right to do what he did," said Weiss, who said he voted for President Clinton in 1992, Sen. Robert Dole in 1996, then Bush in 2000.
Veterans supporting Kerry believe his Vietnam experience would make him a superior commander-in-chief.
"I've seen Bush's decisions and they've had disastrous consequences. Iraq, because of bad execution — it's a quagmire over there," said Steve Duckworth, 64, of Naples, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Navy.
Duckworth said there were substantial parallels between his experience in Vietnam and the war in Iraq, saying that Defense Department idealogues were ultimately responsible for each.
About 50 veterans and wives gathered Friday to listen to Danzig, Secretary of the Navy during Clinton's second term, explain why Kerry's Vietnam credentials make him superior to Bush in handling international crises.
Danzig, introducing a pro-Kerry Vietnam documentary, urged those in attendance to pay attention to Bush's record as well.
"The contrast is going to be pretty striking," he said, referring to a two-year period in which Bush's National Guard service has been called into question.
To attract more veterans to his fold, Kerry faces an uphill struggle. A recent Florida-Times Union and South Florida Sun-Sentinel poll showed the state's veterans breaking for Bush, 56 to 39 percent.
During the presidential debates, Kerry addressed older veterans by discussing issues such as Social Security and veterans' affairs benefits, which he says have declined substantially under Bush.
Matt Gobush, press secretary for Southwest Florida Democratic Victory 2004, said that the problem "begins with (VA hospitals) chronically underfunded."
Gobush said Bush has taken veterans for granted and, in doing so, short-changed a core Republican constituency.
Veterans opposing Kerry's candidacy disagreed, saying Bush has provided strong support for the armed forces while Kerry has vacillated.
"I trust Bush more," Truelove said, echoing the beliefs of many veterans interviewed.
If the author was a vet they wouldn't ask that question.
"Upon returning from his Vietnam tour, Kerry testified in 1971 before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations regarding his opposition to the war."
And all any American needs to see to know that Kerry is unfit for office is his pompous, disingenuous, testimony. The man would do anything to advance himself, including spitting on this country.
Answer: John Kerry is a traitor communist unfit for U.S. citizenry...let alone the presidency.
If you have to ask the question, you'll never understand the answer.
They should read the rest of their article to find out the 'clear answer' vets are repulsed by Kerry. He is Unfit for Command and not to be trusted.
Those DEMS, LIBS, ANTI WAR GROUP , MSM , are so delusional.
And this author was wondering why ?
Only a dim would write this in the title. And like a previous poster said, a dim wouldn't understand. But Veterans sure do, and I'm proud to be a Veteran that wouldn't vote for Lurch at gunpoint.
This really cuts into the Dem's senior citizen vote, because if veteran's break 56 percent for Bush, don't you think their wives and some family members will tend to break that way too?
One of the questions that was consistently on Zogby's interactive poll was "Are you a veteran?" and "Do you have a family member (parent) who was a veteran?"
It's very simple. Republicans believe in killing the enemy. Democrats believe in negotiating forever even if there is no clear result. Veterans know what works.
Regards, Ivan
The author needs to lay off the bong and open his eyes.
Here's why:
Here's another reason:
"No cler answer why."
Yep, no clear answer, apart from Kerry being a traitor and all. Other than Kerry meeting with the enemey, while still a Naval Officer, then advocating the enemey's position, I can't think of a single other reason.
If you don't count taking the side of a brutal Communist Dictator in Nicaragua, or sticking up for the poor misunderstood Soviet Union during the cold war.
There is no clear answer why?
Kerry accused his fellow soldiers of war crimes and atrocities, he received three purple hearts that he still won't fully explain, he won't sign Form 180 to release his military records, he has voted against just about every major weapons system and he has falsely accused our troops in Iraq of allowing 377 tons of weapons to be looted.
The only thing for which there is not a clear answer is why any veteran would support Kerry!
it includes the email address... maybe you could 'splain it to'em
Thank you for pointing that out...I will.
In a few days, they won't have to wonder why veterans hate this man, he will be a footnote in history.
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