lily
01-05-2008, 02:11 AM
I admit, I glaze over when the rhetoric starts flying. Does Ron Paul say he has the most soldiers supporting him, or he has the most soldiers supporting him in the GOP? Because it seems Obama has him beat. (http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-09-13-military-donors_N.htm)
Obama, Paul net most military workers' donations
By Fredreka Schouten, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON - Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Ron Paul have little
in common politically, except their opposition to the Iraq war.
Both top a new list of presidential candidates receiving campaign
contributions from people who work for the four branches of the military and
National Guard, according to a study released Thursday by the non-partisan
Center for Responsive Politics.
USA TODAY ON POLITICS: GOP still gets more
Obama, an Illinois senator, brought in more donations from this group
than any White House contender from either party. The Democrat announced
Wednesday his plan to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2008.
Paul, a Texas congressman and the only GOP presidential hopeful who
supports an immediate troop withdrawal, comes in second.
"Paul and Obama are talking straight to soldiers, and what they
are
saying is resonating," said Larnell Exum, a retired Army lieutenant colonel,
who gave $500 to Obama. Exum, who works for the Army as a congressional
liaison, is a Democrat but voted for George Bush in 1992.
The center tallied money from donors who list the Air Force, Army,
Marines, Navy and National Guard as an employer. Overall, these donations
are miniscule: Obama got 44 contributions worth about $27,000 and Paul 23
for about $19,300. Republican John McCain, an Iraq war supporter and Vietnam
prisoner of war, was third with about $18,500 from 32 donors.
In 2004, military personnel contributed $1.2 million to presidential
and congressional candidates, the center said. This year, those donations
are about $200,000.
The analysis also found that military personnel have shifted their
donations. In 2002, the center said Democrats received 23% of contributions
from military workers; Republicans got 77%. This year, 40% of their
donations have gone to Democrats running for Congress and president. The GOP
got 59%.
The donation patterns "would suggest that those who wear the uniform
want change," said Joe Davis, spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Bruce Altschuler, a political scientist at the State University of New
York at Oswego and a Vietnam veteran, said, "The whole country has been
shifting to Democrats, and the military, in some ways, is a microcosm of
society."
Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Obama is pleased to have the support of
those "who have sacrificed so much."
Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said the military support makes sense. The
congressman "wants to get (troops) out of playing the world's policemen and
get them home," he said.
Altschuler cautioned against reading too much into the early
contributions, particularly in such small amounts. "These figures could look
very different in a few months."
Obama, Paul net most military workers' donations
By Fredreka Schouten, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON - Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Ron Paul have little
in common politically, except their opposition to the Iraq war.
Both top a new list of presidential candidates receiving campaign
contributions from people who work for the four branches of the military and
National Guard, according to a study released Thursday by the non-partisan
Center for Responsive Politics.
USA TODAY ON POLITICS: GOP still gets more
Obama, an Illinois senator, brought in more donations from this group
than any White House contender from either party. The Democrat announced
Wednesday his plan to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2008.
Paul, a Texas congressman and the only GOP presidential hopeful who
supports an immediate troop withdrawal, comes in second.
"Paul and Obama are talking straight to soldiers, and what they
are
saying is resonating," said Larnell Exum, a retired Army lieutenant colonel,
who gave $500 to Obama. Exum, who works for the Army as a congressional
liaison, is a Democrat but voted for George Bush in 1992.
The center tallied money from donors who list the Air Force, Army,
Marines, Navy and National Guard as an employer. Overall, these donations
are miniscule: Obama got 44 contributions worth about $27,000 and Paul 23
for about $19,300. Republican John McCain, an Iraq war supporter and Vietnam
prisoner of war, was third with about $18,500 from 32 donors.
In 2004, military personnel contributed $1.2 million to presidential
and congressional candidates, the center said. This year, those donations
are about $200,000.
The analysis also found that military personnel have shifted their
donations. In 2002, the center said Democrats received 23% of contributions
from military workers; Republicans got 77%. This year, 40% of their
donations have gone to Democrats running for Congress and president. The GOP
got 59%.
The donation patterns "would suggest that those who wear the uniform
want change," said Joe Davis, spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Bruce Altschuler, a political scientist at the State University of New
York at Oswego and a Vietnam veteran, said, "The whole country has been
shifting to Democrats, and the military, in some ways, is a microcosm of
society."
Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Obama is pleased to have the support of
those "who have sacrificed so much."
Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said the military support makes sense. The
congressman "wants to get (troops) out of playing the world's policemen and
get them home," he said.
Altschuler cautioned against reading too much into the early
contributions, particularly in such small amounts. "These figures could look
very different in a few months."