Military favors McCain, poll finds

Boston Globe ^ | 8/19/2008 | Foon Rhee

[tobyhill]

While troops deployed abroad might be giving more money to Barack Obama, a poll released today says that John McCain will get the vast majority of votes from members of the military and veterans.

According to Gallup, McCain leads Obama 56 percent to 34 percent, with 11 percent expressing no opinion or picking someone else.

Obama spoke to the Veterans of Foreign Wars today in Florida, a day after McCain addressed the gathering.

Gallup said the poll is based on aggregated data from its daily tracking poll between Aug. 5 and Aug. 17, involving more than 11,000 registered voters, including 2,238 military veterans. Veterans are defined as those who are or have been members of the US military. Obama led McCain 46% to 43% among all registered voters during the period.

[djsherin]

FOR SERIOUS?!?!?

Everyone knows that soldiers are by and large more conservative.

[stockstrader]

B. (whose middle name must never be spoken) Obama not popular with the military?

Who would have guessed that someone who had done his best to DEMORALIZE our military and UNDERMINE their efforts--

with his continued comments that give encouragement and 'aid-and-comfort' to our enemies by repeatedly boasting that we should NOT be there,,,

opposing us going there,,,

opposing the Surge,,,

and promising we will leave (without finishing the job)??

Who would have guessed?

[avacado]

[tobyhill]

The other day the MSM was spreading distortions about how much troops gave to Obama as McCain.

[djsherin]

Money doesn’t amount to support. It may be true that Obama got more money. Who cares?

Ron Paul got more money from the troops than anyone else, but he didn’t get very far (and I happen to like Mr. Paul).

[justiceseeker93]

The headline is misleading, since the results quoted were from active military and veterans (probably more of the latter, one would suspect, since there are more of them and they are generally easier to contact). If the poll were solely of active military, the intuitive guess would be that McCain would have even a larger margin.

[djsherin]

Though I am surprised that over 30% go for Obama in this poll.

[McKayopectate]

Well, this makes a little more sense than the bogus poll the others ran claiming Obama had the military. Man, do they live in a fantasy world or what!

[justiceseeker93]

Now I see that this a poll of veterans only. So the headline was definitely misleading. It would figure that if a poll was taken among currently active military personnel, McCain would have even a wider lead than he has among vets.

[tobyhill]

Exactly. They probably felt that most of the Veterans would be Iraq or Afghanistan Vets but my guess is that most were probably never in during combat situations or were in during Vietnam.

[IYAS9YAS]

Well, adding 56+34+1+10 gives us 101, so I’m guessing there’s some fudging going on.

[Presbyterian Reporter]

I am trying to find data showing the military’s voting pattern in past presidential elections.

Anyone know where to find the data?

I too am surprised to see Obama polling over 30% of the military.

[rhombus]

Let’s see... military people are going to support a guy who went to Annapolis or a guy who became a lawyer???? Such a conundrum. /s Keep those great articles coming, Foon Rhee.

[impeachedrapist]

This poll is of active duty and veterans. And though "my people" may be more conservative, it's often exaggerated around here how much military and veteran voters favor the GOP. The Pubbies tend to get around 55-60%. Impressive, but often far short of the perception around here.

In 2004 Bush took 57% of the veteran vote to Kerry's 41%. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.0.html

[AngelesCrestHighway]

The Obama is just plain weak as seen by the majority of our military. That’s why the Dims try every election to “misplace” or deny the military vote from being counted.
Why would anyone in the military want Commander in Chief Hussein?.....

[Always Right]

This can’t be. 100% of the Soldiers interviewed on TV are for Obama.

[impeachedrapist]

It says veterans are folks who were or ARE in the military. This poll accounts for both.

[tobyhill]

They're scrambling eggs to confuse the issues because their poll probably showed active military members support McCain at 70%-75% with 10% undecided.

[justiceseeker93]

Though I am surprised that over 30% go for Obama in this poll.

If you look at avacado's post # 4, you will see that this a poll of veterans, not active military personnel. I'd agree that if you polled active military, who have, generally speaking, more of a vested interest in the WOT, Obama wouldn't hit 30%, perhaps not even 20%.