As a conservative, pro-life, (anti-Specter) born again Christian, I have to say that abortion was not the top issue for me. It was security/war on terror. But I think that the pollsters who seperated the war on terror from the war in Iraq are pulling a fast one. For most conservatives, the two wars are one and the same. It seems to be the liberals who like to differentiate between the war in Afghanistan (aka the war on terror) from the war in Iraq (aka the war for oil).
If one combines the two wars, then the number of votes supporting Bush because of the OVERALL war on terror is much higher than the numbers for the "values voters" --- which is not to denegrate nor downplay their importance.
Thank you, I've been saying the same thing for a week. I know a LOT of Dems who jumped sides and voted for Bush precisely because of national security issues, nothing else.
While 22% picked "values" as their highest priority, that still means that 78% didn't. And if you add the "Iraq" (something like 20%) and "Terrorism" (something like 19%) together you come up with 39 or 40%, higher than the generic "values".
I don't like what is being done with this poll and the values number. The MSM is playing it up that the Republicans are all religious nutjobs, the lefties are eating it up, and some of the religious right are trying their best to prove them right. And it's all detracting from the most serious issue we face, the war on terror.
Meanwhile most people just don't want to get blown up in their office buildings.
LQ