Monday, September 01, 2008

John McCain-looking good on Labor Day

The start of the Republican National Convention seems like a pretty good time at which to evaluate the state of the Presidential campaign. Although you could never tell it from the press coverage, the race is close and John Sidney McCain has the momentum on Labor Day 2008.

Barack Hussein Obama experienced no significant bounce out of his convention.
CNN has Obama-Biden up 1, Zogby has McCain-Palin up two and Gallup overnight has Obama up 6. The highly reliable Rasmussen has Obama-Biden up 3.

The
absence of a bounce is bad news for Democrats: Walter Mondale enjoyed a 16 point bounce. Barrack’s poor convention showing is far closer to John Kerry and George McGovern (who were so distasteful to the American public that the prolonged exposure of convention week made them less popular) than to Mondale, Dukakis or Humphrey-all of whom also lost. The only Democrat winners, Carter and Clinton had huge 25-30 point gains following their Conventions.

Even the state by state hasn’t dramatically improved for Obama. A view of the Electoral Map shows only
a minor shift in Obama’s direction. The Electoral Vote Counter (upper left) gives the reader a good idea of the diminutive nature of the Obama-Biden’s lead in several key states in this, typically the high water mark of almost every Presidential campaign.

With the huge Republican advantage on the voter’s most pressing issue-energy and the emptiness of Obama’s rhetoric become more evident on a daily basis there is no reason for Republican pessimism if we just get out and fight our tails off.

83 comments:

Art A Layman said...

sporie:

Good luck with your poll readings.

What is this PC crap? McCain toning down the convention because of a natural disaster somewhere in the country. What the hell is that all about?

Smacks of Jimmy Carter during the Iran Hostage Crisis. Bring everthing to a halt because a bunch of people who have vacated the area might have been harmed had they not vacated the area.

It's like mourning the dead before they are even injured.

Hurricanes happen all the time in a lot of states. It goes with living in those states. What activities were put on hold when Iowa was devastated with flooding?

At best it's a knee jerk reaction to the hammering Dumbya got over Katrina, at worst it's an attempt to get out of the convention without a bunch of speeches that will piss off a lot of folks.

McCain is losing it big time.

Wimpy!

Anonymous said...

How can the Rs have a big advantage on the energy issue? Oil was at record price levels, affecting everyone from farmers in Iowa to homeowners in Maine. Bush's invasion was supposed to guarantee our oil flow, but it backfired. McCain opposed alternative energy for most of his career.

More great issues like that one will sink your Exxon-Valdez.

Anonymous said...

Apparently both John McCain and Sarah Palin knew about her daughter's pregnancy, but they still agreed to go ahead with Palin as the VP choice. What kind of people do that to a 17-year-old girl/your own daughter? What does that say about your judgment? - Simply disgusting. I really feel for the poor girl.

Anonymous said...

Re: energy prices. Ever wondder where gas prices will go if we have "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" McCain in office? $3.50 per gallon may seem like a bargain then.

Anonymous said...

The idea of letting the campaign announce the pregnacy of your 17 year old daughter shows a lack of respect for your child and family.
Kim has been telling people to keep their legs crossed. Apparently the message from the right to life group didn't reach Alaska. Ken your last comment regarding socer-hockey-tennis moms and moms whom wish to work is very condesending.Possibly Ms. Palin is needed more at home. I believe the church you refer to believes in no sex before marriage. Sounds like there is alot of HORMONE issues in the governors mansion(igloo). Then for the McCain campaign to use the pregnacy to appeal to the evangelicals is very concerning. That certainly isn't going to appeal to the older generation or tennis-hockey-socer mom's and dad's whom might not attend an evangelical church; but want their children to have high morals.Cindy's eyes had to rollon this one. Ken is this a new strategy to get the welfare mothers to support the McCain-Palin ticket.

Anonymous said...

Score another one for abstinence education!!!!!!! Wonder if she has an STD too?

Anonymous said...

National Inquirer will be inquiring about the father. Won't his family be thrilled with their son's face on the tabloid. Bet whom ever he is, wished he'd kept his zipper zipped.

Anonymous said...

Word on the street is that Palin's UN-WED 17 year old daughter is pregnant by someone who looks an awful lot like Barack Obama, hint, hint. That makes her an even more brillant choice, now she can trump Obama and pander to blacks saying "I feel your pain; My daughter is carrying one of you!" Damn right use the family to political advantage! All's fair in this one, our future is at stake!

Anonymous said...

From Republican controlled Wikipedia:

"Palin was originally baptized as a Roman Catholic, but her parents switched to the Wasilla Assembly of God, a Pentecostal church, where she was rebaptized at age 12 or 13.[109] When she is in the capital, she attends Juneau Christian Center, another Assemblies of God church. Her current home church in Wasilla is The Church on the Rock, an independent congregation.[110] Although initial reports described her as the first Pentecostal ever named to a major party's presidential ticket, Palin describes herself as a non-denominational Christian.[111] The National Catholic Reporter described her as a "post-denominational" Christian.[112]"

There you have it, another anti-Jesus, Catholic cultist a heart-beat away from the Presidency. I give up on the GOP.

Bob Barr Now More Than Ever!!!!

Anonymous said...

RATS-

Let's not go there.

Lest you forget, the Obamessiah's mother was not married when she got knocked up with The One. The Messiah praises the single mother who raised him. Has anyone found The Messiah's birth certificate yet?

Anonymous said...

Was Obama's mom a supporter of abstinence only education in the schools? Yeah - that's what I thought. Nobody's bashing her for choosing to keep the kid - but you gotta wonder if she was wearing a promise ring when they were banging in the back of the pickup truck.

Anonymous said...

70% of African Americans are born into one parent homes. 98% of them support Obama. His campaign won't go there.

Ken R said...

Most of the comments, so far, on this threat are repulsive and it is comforting to know Democrats will not win the Presidency this November.

Anonymous said...

The rest of the world is questioning McCain's judgement. He chose a VP on one meeting and a conversation. Is he the one we want getting a call at 3:00am. and making a decision. Or better yet she getting a call at 3:00 in the morning. Sounds like the Palins are very sexually active. She maybe too busy at 3:00 in the morning.

Anonymous said...

as we've seen, abstinence is the only thing that works. 17 year olds should not be having sex - not just preventing pregnancy - you jerks who still believe your parents battle cry of "sex, drugs and rock and roll".

Sarah is a real woman with a real family and I hope those assholes keep it up. Women are going to go beserk over what the d's are doing to Sarah.

Mysoginy lives and thrives in the democRAT party.

Hillary Clinton Said So.

Sarah Rocks the house down and the D's know they've just met the first woman president of the United States.

Anonymous said...

obama's mamma was a 17 year old whore who bore obama. babbydadda deserted and oby's whoremamma went and had another with another.

yea - I don't think the d's want to go there.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how many 17 year old interns Willy Clinton too his willy out for and did as president.

Anonymous said...

I can't remember, did Algore's teenage son end up doing prison time for all those drug convictions? The last one was quite a whopper - got in a car wreck with one of his dad's gas guzzler's and had all kinds of drugs in his possession. This was not his first time with Johnny Law.

Does anyone have the update?

Anonymous said...

How many Kennedy children have been heroin addicts?

I recall Joe and Robrt Jr. In fact, they paralyzed a friend of theirs while high on heroin and had a car wreck.

Remember Michael and the 14 year old babysitter?

Remember Robert Smith and the TWO rape trials for TWO different women? Uncle Teddy was along for the first rape party. He finally quit being an alcoholic after that.

How about the clever little murderer up in Connecticut - Ethel Kennedy's nephew Mr. Skakal.

All that without even bringing up Teddy's own infamous murder in chappaquickick.

Nice family those Kennedys.

I hear John F Kenney was a decent president though. With all this family history, am I wrong? Is that impossible to be a good president if your family members suck?

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget Billy Carter - what a barrell of monkey fun he was.

Unfortunately, Jimmah was a very sucky president, but I think he would have been one anyway - despite Billy.

Anonymous said...

At least that child will be borne from and into love.

Chelsea was created for the purpose of being a political prop.

Wasn't she the first test tube baby?

Anonymous said...

Even you R’s should give Obama some props for his response to the story about Palin’s daughter. He provided possibly the strongest defense of Palin and her family.

Still, the story is out there. I really don’t think it should be about the daughter at all. It should be about McCain & Palin. This and other revelations raise valid questions about McCain’s decision-making and vetting of his VP. And putting the girl through this makes one question both McCain and Palin’s judgment. I know my Christian conservative parents would have never put me or my sister through anything like this. I know some conservatives believe in public humiliation, but I’m thinking this is a bit too harsh by anyone's standards.

Anonymous said...

Wait a minute, you forgot how Laura was the bag lady for all the Bush brothers in terms of scoring pot. And what of Laura's drunken driving participation that led to the death of a student in her high school? And what are we to make of the man Laura eventually married (after a previous abortion and annulment soon thereafter)? Wow, the drunk, coke sniffing, AWOL, Alabama Air National Guardsman (Texas Division), sure made a name for himself too, didn't he?

Anonymous said...

If sporer would take the time to update it on a regular basis instead of just when it portrays McBush in the most favorable light, you would see that NV and CO have gone back to Obama giving dems 278.

McBush also holds slim 1-3 leads in ND,SD,MT,NC,OH and Florida.

Obama has even turned Arizona into "Weak Republican" country.

Anonymous said...

Why was the alleged "drunk driver" that Biden's wife crashed into, killing herself and her baby, never charged with anything?

Probably because the accident was his wifey's fault and Joey is lying.

Anonymous said...

I was 17 and unmarried when I got pregnant with The Messiah.

Anonymous said...

Well the truth is out. McCains first pick was Joe L. His operatives pulled him back and said you can't choose him, the evangelicals and pentacostals will go crazy. You have to choose one of them. Anyone running for president that is threatened by a religious group and folds, is not strong enough to be president!!

Anonymous said...

Well the truth is out. McCains first pick was Joe L. His operatives pulled him back and said you can't choose him, the evangelicals and pentacostals will go crazy. You have to choose one of them. Anyone running for president that is threatened by a religious group and folds, is not strong enough to be president!!

Anonymous said...

Well the truth is out. McCains first pick was Joe L. His operatives pulled him back and said you can't choose him, the evangelicals and pentacostals will go crazy. You have to choose one of them. Anyone running for president that is threatened by a religious group and folds, is not strong enough to be president!!

Anonymous said...

Well the truth is out. McCains first pick was Joe L. His operatives pulled him back and said you can't choose him, the evangelicals and pentacostals will go crazy. You have to choose one of them. Anyone running for president that is threatened by a religious group and folds, is not strong enough to be president!!

Anonymous said...

How vulgar you are!

Anonymous said...

Barack Obama met the 50 percent threshold for the first time Tuesday in the Gallup daily tracking poll, a symbolic hurdle that until now had eluded the Democratic nominee

Anonymous said...

Yeah? And your point is what 7:41? Obama still hasn't gotten the bounce that he should have from his coronation at the Temple of Obama. After the adulation of the media heaped upon him..you would think Obama would have opened up a sizable lead. Hasn't happened..and Dems are competely befuddled by it..

Cedar Waxwing said...

RF..

For Christ's sake..McCain vetted Palin throughly. She not only went through an FBI check, a check of her financial records, but also a 70 page questionaire, and interviews with McCain staffers and media people and McCain himself.

She was completely up front about the situation with her family..and McCain to his credit, felt that it was not a disqualifying mark.

I know its hard for you liberals to understand that a baby is not a "punishment" or something that is "humiliating".

Anonymous said...

You just wait and see, there's naked pics of this Palin broad floating around out there.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to see those pics too! My bet is rather than sporting a full bush she keeps it trimmed and shaped.

Ken R said...

The double standard is amazing.

Anonymous said...

If you click on Ted "Westboro Baptist" Sporer's Map link today

You will see the large bounce that Palin got McCain...or not?

Ohio Turned from Barely Republican to Barely Democrat

Iowa turned from weak Democrat to strong Democrat

And yes, the host state of Minnesota went from Weak Democrat to Strong Democrat.

Ooops!

Anonymous said...

The person calling such names should consider if they apply to his own mother.

Anonymous said...

On the Second Day of Palin Gate I checked the polls again.

You can do so also by clicking on the lovely link on the left side of the screen.

The Good News? Alaska and its three EC votes are now upgraded from Weak to Strong Republican

The Bad News? IN was downgraded from Weak Republican to Barely Republican and ND went crossed into the blue.

Obama is now passed the 300 mark for the first time in months.

What a lovely convention bounce for the Republicans!

Anonymous said...

I think the backlash against the Republican party is due more to the extreme right wingers like Ted "Westboro Baptist" Sporer and his idols at Fox News.

What really turned me off is when Fox News stated that they wanted to kill Senator Obama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjYpkvcmog0&feature=related

We all have different political views, but I for one am against anyone who wishes to kill ANY American citizen.

Anonymous said...

Iowa left McCain when it became clear that the National platform proposes to eliminate a renewable fuel standard. McCain had a part in that. His failure to recongize renewable fuels as an extremely important part of our national security has killed his chances to have voter turn out in western iowa that is necessary to win the state. McCain may have even shut down turn out enough for Steve King to get beat in the 5th district.
"the Fact Finder"

Ken R said...

Fact Finder and anon 3:53 are a couple beers short of a six-pack.

Republicans wanting to kill Obama? Heck, if we wanted that we would let him go to Washington DC, Detroit, or even Chicago because life expectancy is less Baghdad. Alternatively, we would simply ask Hillary to make his travel plans and another mysterious airplane crash would be the result.

As for Steve King losing his seat to a Democrat....

WOW - WOW - WOW!

Moreover, after falling out of my chair I can only respond Democrats better wake up (translated dump Biden and get Hillary) because McCain/Palin is going to roll your sorry butts in November. Steve King will not be a casualty as he is invulnerable to challenge. Perhaps you guys are smoking a little too much "medical" marijuana or something if you are talking that nonsense.

Anonymous said...

Im sorry Ken.

I guess I am a few beers short of a six pack. After all I stated facts where you just spewed from the mouth more of the same crap.

I forgot Facts are "nonsense" to the militant Right Wingers on this site (IE McCain/Palin is getting there ass kicked by Obama/Biden).

Again anyone who wants to see the threat on AN AMERICANS LIFE by what can only be described as a terrorist news station, simply follow the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjYpkvcmog0&feature=related

And If you want to see how McCain/Palin is a few million votes short of the presidency simply click on the nice little map in the corner

Ken R said...

Palin bump 3,

Mocking Obama/Biden's chances of winning the election is threating their lives?

Anonymous said...

No Ken.

I know you are slow but try to follow along.

Here is the link to the segment where Fox News Employee Liz Trotta says...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjYpkvcmog0&feature=related

"Knock off Osama...or Obama, well Both if we could".

Check it out for yourself. This is the kind of garbage that Republicans are trying to feed the American people.

The same things that inspired the murders of a Democratic Party worker in Arkansas and members of a "liberal" church in Tennessee.

This is a threat upon the life of an American Senator. And should be taken as such

I dont know about Ted "Westboro Baptist" Sporer, but I dont believe that it is right to threaten any American.

As for McCain/Palin's chances... Looking slimmer and slimmer everyday

Ken R said...

Well bumper,

I can't get youtube on the network in Baghdad as it, myspace, and a host of other websites are banned.

But your logic is whacked because ur finding isolated examples (that assumes you are not lying or relaying a fabricated event) and extending them to a larger group. If a person made a verifiable threat against a Presidential candidate the Secret Service and the FBI would act.

You liberals must really be shaking in your pink slippers over Sarah Palin. You guys, gals, and gender confused types are getting shrill.

Anonymous said...

You forgot to call your adversaries' Mothers whores Ken.

Anonymous said...

First of all ken. I am not liberal. I am a conservative and a veteran. (Second Infantry Division US Army, Ar-Ramadi Iraq 04-05). And funny, Myspace and youtube werent blocked than...hmmm.

What exactly would you call a "verifiable threat"? If someone makes a threat on live TV, that is good enough for me.

Here are some links to this story yet once again for the very very slow Mr. Ken.

On May 25, 2008, Trotta made news after expressing on Fox News an apparent desire that U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama be assassinated in the run up to the 2008 United States presidential election.[3][4][5] Prior to her comment she referred to Barack Obama as "Osama".

In reference to Hillary Rodham Clinton's controversial reference[6][7] to Robert F. Kennedy's June, 1968, assassination in a discussion of the ongoing 2008 Democratic primaries, she stated,

"[...] and now we have what some are reading as a suggestion that somebody knock off Osama. Um, uh, Obama. Well both, if we could." (She followed this comment with laughter.)[8]

The New York Times editorial board called her comments "[a] far more offensive assassination reference" than Clinton's. They continued, stating "We still do not understand why she thought talking about assassinating Mr. Obama was appropriate for television — or why she laughed after saying it."[9] Jeffrey Feldman of The Huffington Post characterized her remarks as continuing "the trend in violent rhetoric about Sen. Obama" and as "vile, utterly disgusting, 'assassination' humor".[10]

On May 26, 2008, Trotta apologized for the incident, saying:

"I am so sorry about what happened yesterday. In a lame attempt at humor I really just fell all over myself in making it appear that I wished Barack Obama harm or any other candidate for that matter. I sincerely regret it and apologize to anybody I’ve offended. It’s a very colorful political season and many of us are making mistakes and saying things we wish we hadn’t said."[11]

A petition for the sacking of Trotta was soon up on Care2 petitions gathering over 14,000 signatures.[12][13]

Ken R said...

I served in Iraq as an army officer Jan 4th - Oct 14th, 2004 before returning Dec 14th, 2004 with a private contractor. I also served in Afghanistan for most of 2003 and part of 2004 as an army officer.

I am not on the army network for my company and yes, ...YouTube and MySpace are blocked for me.

Although, there is an internet carrier here that allows some websites it has blocks as well. I can occasionally get Youtube on the pay site. It is slower than dial up considering webcams do not work. For that reason, I do not spend an hour waiting for a 30-second YouTube clip.

I do not buy that anyone on the news really meant they wanted Barak to be killed. That is ridiculous.

So, if you are a Conservative Vet are you supporting fellow veteran McCain and his very Conservative running mate? If so, GREAT!

If not....well, you know the deal.

Anonymous said...

Finally the truth, "a private contractor".

Just as I thought all along. Sporer should go back and delete every damn post where you have had the reader believe something entirely else. What a shameful and disgusting fraud.

Art A Layman said...

Folks:

Am by no means a defender of kennie but he has stated, not infrequently on various posts here, that he is now a private contractor after having served, in theater, in the army. That is not news and I do not think he should have to put a disclaimer on his handle advising of same.

A fair question might be why he left the army to work for a private contractor but he has not kept the fact secret.

Even if he had I fail to see why that would mean he shouldn't post here (of course there is the issue of the nonsense he posts).

If you thought he was currently in the military and serving in Iraq would you be inclined to cut him slack on his postings? I wouldn't, nor do I think kennie would want that.

Servicemen in harm's way deserve a great deal of respect and appreciation but it does not extend to giving them a pass when they are posting on an essentially political blog.

kennie exhibits a tendency for meaningless ad hominem blather but many of us, military, ex-military, never-military, exhibit the same tendency from time to time. kennie just does it more frequently.

Ken R said...

Art,

You occasionally rise to the occasion and your statements about my military service as well as my current service as a contractor are indeed accurate.

Of course, you got your digs in concerning our differences but you kept it civil and I always appreciate it when that happens.

Thanks for the parts of the response that I could not have said better myself. The other parts...well, those are business as usual and since they were civil, I do not mind as much on this day.

Art A Layman said...

kennie:

There were no parts of my response that you could have said better! ;)

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry Ken, I guess she didnt mean to "threaten" an American citizen

That is absurd!!!

A threat is a threat!

How dare you condone the threatening of an American life!
How is that conservative?

John McCain is not a conservative. He is for immunity for christ's sake! and before he was ordained as the GOP standard barrier conservative's hated him, all of the sudden he gets the nomination and he is Ronald Regan reincarnated?

You would support Nancy Pelosi if she had an "R" in front of her name. Honestly, do you have any real ideals, or do you just accept the spoon feeding you get from Fox News?

John McCain's military service makes him, in my eyes, a hero. But we arent voting for United States Hero, we are voting for United States President and Obama is ready to lead!

Anonymous said...

Obama is ready to lead today? What is your proof for that?

Victory 2010 said...

What a long thread of comments! I thought I would weigh in here :)

McCain has absolutely no edge in energy policy to Obama, at least not here in Iowa. McCain has taken the low raod in sacrificing Iowa in hopes it will make him appeal more to the Washington crowd that frowns on Iowa Energy and instead promotes taking economy away from Iowa and putting it off-shore.

Obama wishes to expand renewable energy sources in Iowa and creat more jobs for Iowans. Something that McCain is against. That may be the telling factor in why no one caucused for McCain in Iowa and he is losing by a double digit margin in Iowa.

Kinda stinks that just because we have an anti-Iowan Republican at the top of the ticket that all of the Iowa GOP candidates have to suffer, because some would make great leaders, but that is what happens when you nominate the likes of John McCain

Anonymous said...

........and certaily the screen name of "Major Ken" wouldn't have been in any way part of the deception........

Ken R said...

Deception?

Major was my last rank and I am still in the IRR. I am proud of my service (like most diehard libs) and consequently I do not hate the military or my country.

You libs remain anonymous and hide behind screen names. Before you come after me for any form of deception, you should identify yourself first. I have a webpage that clearly identifies me at

http://dadsnotpaychecks.blogspot.com/

In addition, my name links to that website. More often than not libs claiming to be members of the military have major deceptions of their own. That probably explains why they accuse others of the same whenever possible.

Ken R said...

Oops,

I accidentally gave too much credit to the libs when I indicated they are proud of their service. Most libs HATE the military. Most libs do not occupy positions of leadership in the military. Most lib OFFICERS in the military turn out to be LAWYERS, DOCTORS, and certainly not commanders. A great majority of libs in the military are lower enlisted who hated the experience.

Ken R said...

Wow,

I just read the following quote from Obama's book "Dreams of my Father."

"To avoid being mistaken for a sellout, I chose my friends carefully. The more politically active black students. The foreign students. The chicanos. The Marxist professors and structural feminists and punk-rock performance poets." (p.100)

Anonymous said...

Ken those three posts paint a portrait of a very mentally unbalanced man. Bitter, shifty eyed, spiteful, looking for a liberal conspiracy around every corner........Good Lord man, seek some professional help before it's too late.

Ken R said...

Sure thing anonymous....

Victory 2010 said...

Wow, major Ken!

"most libs are lower enlisted that hated the experience"??

Thats sounds like what an officer would say :)

I am a conservative, and served a long long LONG time ago, but I was an enlisted man and we thought things where the other way around.
With all the ROE, but maybe its different now, or different for you, I dont know.

In fact the more I look at your 1159 post the more I tend to not believe you. I dont know how you can talk about soldiers like that, even the ones I really disliked I wouldnt say such things like about.

I really hope you do not talk to your soldiers like that

Ken R said...

Victory,

The facts are the facts and nobody even disputes the military votes overwhelmingly Republican. As for talking to my troops (I was a commander for 2 years) politics do not come up in professional conversation so your criticism lacks substance on that account.

Since politics occasionally comes up in private conversations it has been my experience liberal officers tend to be lawyers and doctors. I have never met a single commander of troops who was a liberal.

As for enlisted troops, most self-identify as Conservative once they obtain rank, lead other troops, and have weighty responsibilities.

Therefore, the only troops that might represent a liberal constituency are the lower enlisted that I do not regularly interact with on a non-professional level. I suspect many minorities tend to be Democrat until they become responsible.

Anonymous said...

Ken You remind me of a man named David Shedlock from Iowa. He used to wave prolife signs on street corners.He ended up getting the head of right to life pregnant, and divorcing his wife.Later was charged with elderly abuse at a care facility.

Art A Layman said...

kennie:

Jesus man! You do get carried away with your fallacious logic to say nothing of your hairbrained ideas.

First of all, the population of our military, active and reserve, is ~2.9 million. Your little involvement sphere is a small portion of that yet you extrapolate and assert inane conclusions for the entire military from your small community of associations. Really dumb kennie.

Be sure in your MBA classes you take some statistic courses.

Maybe learn from your hero:

"Asked why there weren't more Democrats in the military, General Petraeus smiled slyly and said "there are more than you think."

Once again your intellectual musings, or musings lacking thereof, strike fear in the hearts of those of us who must depend on your ilk.

Ken R said...

Art,

Your argument is not very convincing. I don't care anyway because I know the military is pro Republican as do the Democrats which explains why they hate visiting the troops.

I loved the photo of John Kerry eating alone in a DFAC. When Republicans show up they are mobbed by enthusiastic supporters.

Ken R said...

Anonymous,

You remind me of

.....ah, ah, ah, oh, mmm, ah, well, yes, no, maybe, ah......

(wait, sorry that sounds too much like an Obama impersonation)

Seriously, anonymous reminds me of a coward too afraid to put his real name out there while making pointless comparisons.

Ken R said...

A quick internet search provided the following insight into military political party identification:

Among officers, who represent roughly 15 percent of today's 1.4 million active duty military personnel, there are about eight Republicans for every Democrat, according to a 1999 survey by Duke University political scientist Peter Feaver. Enlisted personnel, however - a disproportionate number of whom are minorities, a population that tends to lean Democratic - are more evenly split. Professor Feaver estimates that about one third of enlisted troops are Republicans, one third Democrats, and the rest independents, with the latter group growing.

Ken R said...

A Military Times (DEC 2007) poll supports my view of the military political affiliations.

http://www.militarycity.com/polls/2007activepoll_politics.php


1) How would you describe your political views?

Very conservative 8.8%
Conservative 37%
Moderate 38.7%
Liberal 7%
Very liberal 1.4%
Decline to answer 7.1%
2) In politics today, do you consider yourself a:

Democrat 14.4%
Independent 21.1%
Libertarian 3.1%
Republican 48.9%
Other 4%
Decline to answer 8.5%

Anonymous said...

I think ken made his case.

Anonymous said...

He makes a case all right. Wow.

Anonymous said...

A little overkill but his evidence is compelling.

Ken R said...

Thanks,

Too bad it takes statistics to silence liberals but I am sure they will find something to dispute because they simply cannot believe they're wrong.

In their minds, if the facts are wrong...change the facts right?

Art A Layman said...

kennie:

As usual you get confused.

Now your political "views" poll, of which the focus is consistent with your previous posts, shows nonconservative views with a slight majority. Surely due to them minorities who are merely confused. Except that nonwhites only made up 20.9% of respondents.

As for enlisted troops, most self-identify as Conservative once they obtain rank, lead other troops, and have weighty responsibilities.

Now here, you throw in all these fatuous assumptions you have not substantiated with your polls. Is it possible that those obtaining rank, etc. self-identify as Conservative because they perceive that is what they are expected say if they want to obtain more rank?

You other poll, the "consider" one, drifts a little toward apples and oranges. While I would give you that stereotypical bents likely apply, one cannot say that all Republicans are conservative anymore than all Democrats are liberal. Libertarians are also an interesting mix. Though you conservatives like to count them in your world the fact that today's conservatives are heavily invested in legislating social order and libertarians are vehemently opposed to that, they might actually lean more toward liberal bents. The Independent bucket also leaves us hanging; are they liberal leaning Independents or conservative leaning.

This latter question would apply to Dr. Feaver's study as well except I don't think, because of its age and the complete change in circumstances, that his poll is still valid.

It is also interesting in light of the comment:

Enlisted personnel, however - a disproportionate number of whom are minorities, a population that tends to lean Democratic - are more evenly split.,

a comment unknown to be Dr. Feaver's or another one of your assumptions, but, again, in the Military Times poll only 20.9% of respondents were nonwhite.

If you review the same poll over the last two or three years you also see the Conservative, Very Conservative numbers declining, not insignificantly.

Regardless it is not necessarily a valid comparison to talk about liberal versus conservative and then post numbers about Republicans, Democrats and Independents.

Since the poll was sent only to a select grouping of subscribers (emailed at that) to the Military Times (would not be considered random sampling) and those receiving it were given a very short time window in which to respond and we don't know the numbers included in the population nor any margin of error, it is difficult to determine how much validity to give to their results.

Another item that creates questions is the number of "Declines to Answer". Fairly large percentages for a seemingly blind poll. A "Don't Know" category might have raised fewer eyebrows.

It is conventional wisdom that the military tends to vote Republican, which does not necessarily imply conservative, but "most" is ubiquitous in your posts and we find that some of your "most"s aren't quite valid.

Am also struck by your military disloyalty to tradition. Fuck the Swift Boaters, US government records list John Kerry as a decorated war hero in Vietnam and one would think your loyalties would be to your government. Further, he volunteered for military service and requested assigment to Vietnam. Your constant disdain for him belies your constant wails about the honor, integrity and esprit de corps among the military. Honor should be made of sterner stuff.

Decent try but no cigar as yet.

Ken R said...

Art,

You did your best and your efforts are not without notice but the fact remains the military votes Republican.

Ha ha ha.......

Art A Layman said...

kennie:

LOL! With officers like you who would expect them to exercise some intellect?

Ken R said...

That's right because we live in the world of reality rather than liberal fantasy.

Anonymous said...

Fact: Obama outraised John McCain in deployed troops 5:1...

Ron Paul outraised John McCain!

Ooops Ken!

Thats that tricky little thing called the truth that tends to jump up and bite you party loyalists in the butt.

Republicanism does not equal conservativism.

Coorporate Bailouts, a liberal idea and Bush jumping head over heals for it!

Stimulus checks! How can you get more liberal! That was also a Republican idea.

Open your eyes Ken... They are all liberals

Ken R said...

Alright tin foil hatter,

The story you refer to is misleading considering we're talking 60K for Obama and 10K for McCain among deployed troops. When they measured all troops it turned out to be almost even. It is very early and the SURGE worked. I know because I live in Iraq and it has been months since we had regular mortars. One landed close enough to shake buildings about a week ago but considering that used be a semi-daily event b4 this rather than twice per month I call that success.

Voting for Ron Paul is basically voting for Obama at this point. If you can't get excited about Sarah Palin then you're living in a dreamworld.

Anonymous said...

Pauler and Liberals have a lot in common

Lack class
Legalize drugs
Conspiracy theories

Ken R said...

Hilarious!

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