Troops In Survey Back Bush 4 To 1
USA TODAY
October 4, 2004


An unscientific survey of U.S. military personnel shows they support President Bush for re-election by a 4-to-1 ratio. Two-thirds of those responding said John Kerry's anti-war activities after he returned from Vietnam make them less likely to vote for him.

In the survey of more than 4,000 full-time and part-time troops, 73% said they would vote for Bush if the election were held today; 18% said they would vote for Kerry. Of the respondents, 59% identified themselves as Republicans, 20% as independents and 13% as Democrats.

The survey was conducted Sept. 15-28 by the Army Times Publishing Co., which distributes the weekly newspapers Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times. (Army Times Publishing is owned by Gannett, which also publishes USA TODAY.)

Army Times Publishing sent e-mails to more than 31,000 subscribers and received 4,165 responses on a secure Web site. The publisher cautioned that the results are not a scientific poll. Its readers are older, higher in rank and more career-oriented than the military as a whole.

Even so, experts who examined the survey results said they do not bode well for the Kerry campaign's efforts to woo the military, a traditionally Republican and conservative voting bloc. The Kerry campaign has highlighted his war record in an effort to burnish his credentials as a prospective commander in chief.

"You can't dismiss" the results, said Peter Feaver, a Duke University political scientist who for years has studied the political leanings of the U.S. military. Feaver said it's unlikely that Bush will receive 70% of votes cast by military personnel. But the results suggest it will be difficult for Kerry to make substantial gains among a group that has strongly supported Republican presidential candidates in the post-Vietnam era.

Feaver said he suspects Kerry is losing support among those in uniform because he seems less committed than Bush to prosecuting the war in Iraq.

Richard Kohn, a University of North Carolina history professor who has studied the political culture of the military, said the Bush campaign has been effective in creating the impression that, if elected, Kerry might "cut and run" in Iraq. "None of us who has studied Kerry's character believes that, but the Bush campaign has established in the public's mind a connection to Vietnam," Kohn said.

Kerry campaign spokesman David Wade called the Army Times Publishing effort "an inaccurate e-mail survey" and said that Kerry has "the vision and values to keep faith with military families and America's veterans."

Of survey respondents, 65% of active-duty and 67% of Guard and reserve troops said that Kerry's activities after Vietnam made them less likely to vote for him. Kerry served in Vietnam as a naval officer and was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. He protested the war after returning home.

Only 12% of active-duty troops and 16% of Guard and reserve troops said Bush's actions in the National Guard made them less likely to vote for him. Bush received a coveted pilot's slot in the Texas Air National Guard during the height of the Vietnam War and missed a number of mandatory drills after he stopped flying fighter jets in April 1972.

Active-duty, Guard and reserve troops number about 2.4 million, a small slice of the electorate. But in closely contested states such as Florida, their votes could be crucial. The survey found little difference in presidential support among the four military branches.

While there is a lot of information available on how military veterans have voted, data on the voting patterns of active-duty personnel are scarce. Feaver said experts believe military personnel favored Bush over Al Gore 2-1 in the 2000 presidential race.

A number of military analysts, including Feaver, had been predicting as recently as this summer that Bush would suffer a slight erosion this year based on a number of factors, including misgivings about the conduct of the war in Iraq and dislike of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in some military circles. Of those responding to the survey, about three-fifths said they approve of the way Bush is handling the situation in Iraq; one-quarter said they disapprove.

Military personnel who responded to the survey said they were generally happy with their jobs: 73% said they would re-enlist.

i would love to see this in the media....but they will never carry it

Unfortunately, our votes won't even be counted unless the election is too close too call.

Quoted: i would love to see this in the media....but they will never carry it

Yup...the boots on the ground best knowledgeable about Iraq vote Bush 4 to 1.

No further discussion of Iraq is necessary.

I agree that "Kerry is teh suck", but I have never actually heard it in a quote.  How does it go anyway?

Quoted: I agree that "Kerry is teh suck", but I have never actually heard it in a quote.  How does it go anyway?

I forgot who started the phrase, "...teh suck..." but it was started by an arfcommer and is usually incorporated into anything that is not good.

"Kerry is teh suck"
"Crossroads Middle School is teh suck"
"The AWB is teh suck"
et al

Quoted: Quoted: I agree that "Kerry is teh suck", but I have never actually heard it in a quote.  How does it go anyway? I forgot who started the phrase, "...teh suck..." but it was started by an arfcommer and is usually incorporated into anything that is not good. "Kerry is teh suck" "Crossroads Middle School is teh suck" "The AWB is teh suck" et al

Quoted: Quoted: i would love to see this in the media....but they will never carry it Yup...the boots on the ground best knowledgeable about Iraq vote Bush 4 to 1. No further discussion of Iraq is necessary.

agreed 110%

Yep.  This is why the Democrats tried so hard to sideline the military "absentee ballots".

Too bad the Democrats will work overtime to supress the military vote.

-LS

I didnt register in time I dont think

Quoted: Too bad the Democrats will work overtime to supress the military vote. -LS

Again.

A free press would cover this.

Quoted: Quoted: I agree that "Kerry is teh suck", but I have never actually heard it in a quote.  How does it go anyway? I forgot who started the phrase, "...teh suck..." but it was started by an arfcommer and is usually incorporated into anything that is not good. "Kerry is teh suck" "Crossroads Middle School is teh suck" "The AWB is teh suck" et al

Could someone explain "teh suck"?

Another druken poster?

"something that sucks"?

Quoted: Could someone explain "teh suck"?

I'm guessing it a combination typographical error and grammatical malfunction.

"Kerry is the suck" makes no damned sense.  

Quoted: Quoted: A free press would cover this. Roger that.  And may I say, that is a fine looking T patch you have there.  Mine had an Airborne tab over it when I was with the 143rd LRS in Houston.

Well la de dah!
They are no longer Airborne, now they are a HMMWV mounted Cav troop.
But, on the bright side, 49th has reflagged to 36th ID.
The T-Patchers ride again.
It is two units ago, I need to sew on a new patch.
But ARSTRAT is so lame.

Quoted: "Kerry is the suck" makes no damned sense.

making it an appropriate phrase to be applid to Kerry.

Quoted: Troops In Survey Back Bush 4 To 1 USA TODAY October 4, 2004 ....unscientific survey of U.S. military personnel shows they support President Bush for re-election by a 4-to-1 ratio...... Kerry campaign spokesman David Wade called the Army Times Publishing effort "an inaccurate e-mail survey" .....

I agree it is inaccurate.  I would bet it is more like 5 to 1 in favor of Bush.

Quoted: Quoted: "Kerry is the suck" makes no damned sense.   making it an appropriate phrase to be applid to Kerry.

Good Point.  

Quoted: i would love to see this in the media....but they will never carry it hinking.gif

Check the second line of the first post in this thread. It's a USA Today story.Land