TO DISPELL A MYTH: About Kerry's support from Military Voters.

from PolMach Forums
I am writing this post to dispel the rumor that Kerry will get a ground swell support from military personnel, especially those that have or are deployed into Combat Zones.

The Army Times conducted a poll of 4,165 Active, National Guard and Reserve personnel on many issues.

I am not going to go over all of them. It would be unfair to the Army Times, because I really would like you to subscribe. (It’s good magazine)

www.armytimes.com

This Issue will be on shelves on the 11th Oct, but this information is from their online issue that is already on the site.

If the presidential election were held today, for whom would you Vote?

Active Not Deployed since Sept 11th: Bush 73%, Kerry 19%, Nader 1%, Other 1%, Undecided 5%, Decline to Answer 1%

Active Deployed two months or more since Sept 11th: Bush 74%, Kerry 17%, Nader 1%, Other 1%, Undecided 6%, Decline to Answer: 1%

Guard and Reserve Not Deployed since Sept 11th: Bush 73%, Kerry 19%, Nader 1%, Other 1%, Undecided 5%

Guard and Reserve Deployed to a Combat Zone since Sept 11th: Bush 76%, Kerry 16%, Nader 1%, Other 2%, Undecided 5%

For the Record, Gore carried 28% of the Military Vote in 2000.

Every time someone said Kerry was going to get a large number of the military votes because of the war, makes my teeth grit. The rest of this Article will deflate those stories. This article is very insightful on what the poll shows on this fact and other issues. Also if your going to attack that Magazine (The Standard Operating Procedure) go ahead. I have read the magazine for the last 17 years and have found it fair at regularly reporting things for all sides. I have cheered for articles and have been steamed by them too in this magazine. The Army Times is in no way supported or financed by the US Government.

That’s My Two Cents
politics
6,608 views 21 replies
Reply #1 from PolMach Forums Top
Good information as always, Lee.

- GX
Reply #2 from PolMach Forums Top
You forgot to mention that only 35% of all polled claimed they were Democrats. Come on, Lee.
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top

Reply #2 By: Deference - 10/5/2004 3:40:02 PM
You forgot to mention that only 35% of all polled claimed they were Democrats. Come on, Lee.


And where did you get *this* information?
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
I imagine these are probably fairly accurate statistics. I never thought Kerry was going to get a majority of military votes, but I did/do think he may get more than democrats tend to from military personnel as well as their family/friends. Just my two cents.
Reply #5 from PolMach Forums Top
And where did you get *this* information?

That information came from the Kansas City Star, reporting on the Army Times poll.
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top

Reply #5 By: Deference - 10/5/2004 5:04:35 PM
And where did you get *this* information?

That information came from the Kansas City Star, reporting on the Army Times poll.


Are you positive it was "Kansas City Star"? I just came from their site at www.kansascity.com. I did searches for past 7 days and older than 7 days. Using the words "army times poll" and just "army times" And I came up with *nothing* like you quoted.
Reply #7 from PolMach Forums Top
•Echoing previous Military Times polls and other research, the survey found a group with a close affinity for the Republican Party. About 60 percent of those surveyed identified themselves as Republicans, while 13 percent consider themselves Democrats and 20 percent independents. Among the general population, pollsters usually find voters evenly divided among Republicans, Democrats and independents.

Army Times

I would love to copy and paste the whole article, because there are about 12 other polls that makes me smile too. But if the Army Times requires a subscription, I'm not going to stiff them. I think I will release more info after it hit store shelves.

That's My Two Cents
Reply #8 from PolMach Forums Top
It's in today's print edition. I don't know about the online bit. If I can track down the paper again, I'll get you the page number and who wrote the article.
Reply #9 from PolMach Forums Top
By Gordon Trowbridge
Times staff writer
Reply #10 from JoeUser Forums Top

Reply #8 By: Deference - 10/5/2004 6:14:49 PM
It's in today's print edition. I don't know about the online bit. If I can track down the paper again, I'll get you the page number and who wrote the article.


Maybe it's not on line yet.
Reply #11 from PolMach Forums Top
Turns out the Navy Times (going to be in the Oct 11 Edition) also did a poll on the Navy:
Bush 72%, Kerry 17%

Unless they are the same poll for the entire military or was it Branch Oriented?

- GX
INGSOC Employee of the Month Hooray!
Reply #12 from PolMach Forums Top
Unless they are the same poll for the entire military or was it Branch Oriented?


It was the entire military Active, Guard & Reserve.

The Army, Air Force, and Navy Times all use the same base stories, but each of them research stories for their respective branchs too.
Reply #13 from PolMach Forums Top
Okay.

- GX
Reply #14 from PolMach Forums Top
Echoing previous Military Times polls and other research, the survey found a group with a close affinity for the Republican Party. About 60 percent of those surveyed identified themselves as Republicans, while 13 percent consider themselves Democrats and 20 percent independents.

This is correct, I misquoted the Star as saying 35% polled referred to themselves as democrats. This does underline the point that there is crossover among Republicans for Kerry within the military
Reply #15 from JoeUser Forums Top
I had drinks a couple of weeks ago with two guys training for the Special Forces. They were voting Bush and I asked why. The quieter, more thoughtful one told me "we were ordered to." I laughed, and he said, "no, really, we were." Apparently when they were filling out their forms for absentee ballots, they were told that they could vote for anyone they wanted as long as it wasn't Kerry.

I'd say, you are right, there's not too much Kerry support among the ranks.
Reply #16 from PolMach Forums Top
Echoing previous Military Times polls and other research, the survey found a group with a close affinity for the Republican Party. About 60 percent of those surveyed identified themselves as Republicans, while 13 percent consider themselves Democrats and 20 percent independents.

This is correct, I misquoted the Star as saying 35% polled referred to themselves as democrats. This does underline the point that there is crossover among Republicans for Kerry within the military


Not realy, this underlines that most the Democrats have voted for Kerry and only about 4-6% of the 20% of the Independents have decided to vote Kerry.

While there is about 10-13% of the 20% Independents are voting for Bush.

With the last 4-6% of the 20% of Independents still undesided.

This of course is not taking into to fact that there will be a few cross overs from both parties. But just going over the stats, it shows Bush is carrying a near 2-1 over Kerry in the Independents, with both sides carrying their base.

That's My Two Cents
Reply #17 from PolMach Forums Top
I had drinks a couple of weeks ago with two guys training for the Special Forces. They were voting Bush and I asked why. The quieter, more thoughtful one told me "we were ordered to." I laughed, and he said, "no, really, we were." Apparently when they were filling out their forms for absentee ballots, they were told that they could vote for anyone they wanted as long as it wasn't Kerry.


Another Urban Rumour from the Kerry Camp. Much like the Draft thing.
Reply #18 from JoeUser Forums Top
Another Urban Rumour from the Kerry Camp. Much like the Draft thing.


Believe what you'd like...I was relaying an acedotal story (that, by the way did occur)...you are free to disagree, but please refrain from calling me a liar.
Reply #19 from PolMach Forums Top
Believe what you'd like...I was relaying an acedotal story (that, by the way did occur)...you are free to disagree, but please refrain from calling me a liar.


I'm not calling you a liar. I'm just pointing out the I have heard the other sources say the same set up. Special Forces in a bar, Talking over drinks, ect.. ect..

It's been in the Urban stories for about every election I can remember.

I'm not calling you a liar because, I was not there, I'm just saying it matchs the sterio type.
Reply #20 from PolMach Forums Top

- GX
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top

Reply #20 By: Grim Xiozan - 10/6/2004 12:26:38 PM
What Unit were these two SF from, without looking through links for it, and what were their names so we can do something about it, how about that?

- GX


Here's an idea. Get off your high horse. I told a truthful story about a conversation that I had with two guys in a bar a couple weeks back. Believe it or don't believe it. Just quit the superiority routine--it's tiresome.

And read the rest of my post "I'd say you are right, there's not too much support among the ranks." Did I need to add smiley faces so that you got the intention of my comment. Even if the two special forces guys made up the story, it means that they DID NOT SUPPORT Kerry. I WAS AGREEING with you. (Did I spell it out clearly enough that time? Obviously reading comprehension isn't a strong suit).