SoutheasternOhioPreps.com

Veterans retreating from President Obama

President Barack Obama is trying hard to win veterans, but it looks like they’d prefer a new commander in chief.

The Obama campaign had been hoping that veterans and their families — especially among the post-Sept. 11 generation that served in Iraq and Afghanistan — would be part of their path to victory: They’re a high turn-out demographic and concentrated in battleground states, with nearly 1 million each in North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia, and 1.6 million in Florida.


But recent polls make clear that the president’s campaign is losing the battle. Even as Obama leads in Colorado, Florida, Ohio and Virginia, Mitt Romney is up by double digits among veterans in those states. Nationwide, he’s got a commanding 20-percentage-point lead over Obama and has even overtaken the president with younger veterans.

(Also on POLITICO: Mitt's transition efforts intensifying )

“It’s no contest,” said Maurice Tamman, a Reuters data news editor who has polled on veterans and the presidential campaign.

Obama’s campaign has been trying to improve on a historical Democratic disadvantage on national security and among veterans by touting the killing of Osama bin Laden, ending Iraq combat operations and winding down the war in Afghanistan. They’ve also been talking up the administration’s attention to veterans’ benefits and efforts spearheaded by first lady Michelle Obama, hoping to appeal not just to the troops but to the spouses and other military family members who have coped with long separations and multiple deployments.

(Also on POLITICO: Dan Senor: U.S. 'looks impotent' )

Instead, even as Obama has been gaining in the overall polls, several NBC/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls conducted from Sept. 9-11 had Romney well ahead of Obama among veterans in Florida , Ohio and Virginia . And in Colorado, a poll released Sept. 16 by SurveyUSA and the Denver Post found both veterans and military families supporting Romney over Obama 53 percent to 39 percent in a survey that included third-party candidates.

Back in May, Obama had the lead among Afghanistan and Iraq veterans. But a Reuters/Ipsos poll from September says that’s evaporated, with Romney now up 48 percent to 34 percent.

Obama campaign aides said the slip in the polls needs to be considered alongside recent surveys showing the president ahead of Romney on questions regarding foreign policy, leadership and keeping the country safe from terrorist attacks. In the campaign’s final weeks, Obama will try to close the gap among veterans by pressing Romney over several foreign policy stumbles as well as a lack of specifics on his plans for troops.

(Also on POLITICO: Lawmakers eyeing sequestion II? )

Ryan Williams, a Romney campaign spokesman, said the Republican’s lead among veterans comes from their resistance to the looming potential defense cuts under the budget sequester, problems with Obama’s foreign policy positions and the backdrop of the stagnant economy that’s left the post-Sept. 11 generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with a difficult time finding work when they return home.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/09 ... z27UnrdYW3

Burg_Grad_77 wrote:Imagine that, Tuck starts another political thread on a forum where just last week he called for the banning of people who mentioned politics on one of his threads.


HYPOCRITE!!!

abuck76 wrote:I think Romney or any candidate not mentioning the military at such an important event , while you have men and women dying on foreign soil is unconscionable....The military will remeber......And the Senate stopping a bill that would help veterans on their return?...What in the heck is wrong with you guys in the GOP?..For Gods sake, just do what is right!!!!!!!............. :12224

caglewis wrote:Just "sharing an article", were you? Not expressing a political or religious opinion?

abuck76 wrote:I think Romney or any candidate not mentioning the military at such an important event , while you have men and women dying on foreign soil is unconscionable....The military will remeber......And the Senate stopping a bill that would help veterans on their return?...What in the heck is wrong with you guys in the GOP?..For Gods sake, just do what is right!!!!!!!............. :12224

kantuckyII wrote:

caglewis wrote:Just "sharing an article", were you? Not expressing a political or religious opinion?

I'm allowing them to express 'Their Views'