Posted on 10/21/2008 8:49:36 AM PDT by VMIPubby36
A poll by the Military Times newspaper group suggests that there is overwhelming support for John McCain among U.S. troops in every branch of the armed forces by a nearly 3-1 margin.
According to the poll, 68 percent of active-duty and retired servicemen and women support McCain, while 23 percent support Barack Obama. The numbers are nearly identical among officers and enlisted troops.
(Excerpt) Read more at elections.foxnews.com ...
According to the poll, 68 percent of active-duty and retired servicemen and women support McCain, while 23 percent support Barack Obama. The numbers are nearly identical among officers and enlisted troops.
Click here to see the raw data.
The Military Times, which publishes the Army Times, Navy Times, Marine Corps Times and Air Force Times, polled 80,000 subscribers from Sept 22 to Sept. 29. The non-scientific survey gathered 4,300 respondents -- all of them registered and eligible to vote.
A racial divide was immediately evident among the respondents. Nearly eight in 10 black servicemembers chose Obama, while McCain captured 76 percent of white voters and 63 percent of Hispanic voters.
Click here to see more on this story from FOX News.
Numbers among men and women respondents were also visibly different. Men overwhelmingly said they would vote for McCain, 70 percent to 22 percent. But among women the margin was much closer: 53 percent support McCain, while 36 percent support Obama.
U.S. troops also said in the poll that they prefer McCain to handle the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- 74 percent said McCain would perform better, while just 19 percent said Obama would.
Four years ago the Iraq War was the single most important issue on which the military voted. But the war now ranks third in importance to these voters. The most important issue among the respondents was character (42 percent), followed by the economy (25 percent) and the Iraq War (16 percent).
There was a racial divide on these issues, as well. Black servicemembers said the economy was the No. 1 issue that affected their vote, and white troops said character was paramount.
The Military Times offered certain caveats for its poll, which was open only to its 80,000 subscribers. Responses were entirely voluntary and were not focused on a representative sample of the public, as scientific polls are. The troops polled were also somewhat older than average enlisted servicemembers and included more officers than is representative of the military as a whole.
Yet judging by the numbers, it appears that the Democratic party has not made many inroads into the traditionally Republican military.
Click here for more on this story from the Military Times.
FOX News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Yeah, but will their votes be counted? I remember Al Gore being so happy that he got a lot of them ousted.
Why does it only “suggest” a preference for McCain? When a tracking poll shows a 5 point BHO lead, we’re told that the race is over.
It surprises me that 25% would vote for Obama, the guy who didn’t want to fund them.
I wonder what % Kerry got of the military vote in 04 ????
Are they crazy? Don’t the want to get out of Iraq? ;)
What is interesting is if you remove the black vote, it is about 8 to 1 for McCain. The black vote constitutes about half of the 23% support that Obama has.
With the other 25% going to Ron Paul, right?
The ratio of those in combat arms is probably 99-1.
TWO things we can thank Nixon for (sarcasm):
1) Eliminating the draft
2) Lowering the voting age.
Gosh,
The military favors McCain massively over Obama?
I am shocked.
Why wouldn’t they support a jr senator that championed defeat in Iraq, voted against funding the troops on the battle field, and by doing so encouraged the enemy to keep up the fight?
That is a big mystery. I wonder if the MSM can figure it out.
See what happens when you do not overweight your samples
We could an entire post of things to thank nixon for.
There is a woman who works at my dentist’s office whose husband was stationed in Afghanistan. He told her the troops adore McCain because he’s walked a mile in their boots.
One of the Navy guys I work with got a "Go Sarah Go" T-Shirt from his sister in the mail and asked permission to wear it while jogging on the Embassy grounds just to annoy the State Department folks. His military boss actually said "hey, go for it." It loopholed the UCMJ because Sarah's last name is not on the shirt. LOL
Just look at the demographics and you'll see who comprises that 25%.
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