What do you all think ... will Powell help Obama with the military vote? Will he help move some republicans into his camp? Or will it do nothing or maybe even hurt Obama's chances? Thanks.

News Links:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27265369/
This link is interesting because it once again points out that some groups and people made false accusations that Obama was a Muslim ... not that it would matter anyway.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/19/colin.powell/index.html

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What do you all think ... will Powell help Obama with the military vote? Will he help move some republicans into his camp? Or will it do nothing or maybe even hurt Obama's chances? Thanks.

Well, Powell's endorsement of Obama certainly doesn't hurt him, but (generalizing) I don't think his endorsement will be as influential to the military community as it will with the general population. It will persuade a minority of fence sitters in both the military and general populations towards Obama, but I think the percentages will be higher in the latter.

Generalizing, again, but I say this because I think a large majority of the military has already decided who they are going to vote for. Its no secret that the military would average out Republican, but there are still millions of Democrats in the military.

Thanks for your opinion. I think you are right.

Chris.

What do you all think ... will Powell help Obama with the military vote? Will he help move some republicans into his camp? Or will it do nothing or maybe even hurt Obama's chances? Thanks.

Well, Powell's endorsement of Obama certainly doesn't hurt him, but (generalizing) I don't think his endorsement will be as influential to the military community as it will with the general population. It will persuade a minority of fence sitters in both the military and general populations towards Obama, but I think the percentages will be higher in the latter.

Generalizing, again, but I say this because I think a large majority of the military has already decided who they are going to vote for. Its no secret that the military would average out Republican, but there are still millions of Democrats in the military.

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Thanks for your opinion. I think you are right.

Chris.

What do you all think ... will Powell help Obama with the military vote? Will he help move some republicans into his camp? Or will it do nothing or maybe even hurt Obama's chances? Thanks.

Well, Powell's endorsement of Obama certainly doesn't hurt him, but (generalizing) I don't think his endorsement will be as influential to the military community as it will with the general population. It will persuade a minority of fence sitters in both the military and general populations towards Obama, but I think the percentages will be higher in the latter.

Generalizing, again, but I say this because I think a large majority of the military has already decided who they are going to vote for. Its no secret that the military would average out Republican, but there are still millions of Democrats in the military.

Unless it has changed since I was in the service, most active military also vote by absentee ballot to their home of record, not the state that they are assigned to. Some may have already voted.

It will be very, very interesting to see how the endorsement will affect military retirees. North Carolina has a ton of them, as does other swing states like Virginia, and Florida.

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Join the PACK!

"Unless it has changed since I was in the service, most active military also vote by absentee ballot to their home of record, not the state that they are assigned to. Some may have already voted."


Good point. When I was in the service, sometimes I had to send in my absentee ballot 3 months before the election in order to get my vote in. But I'm sure it would be a small minority of service members who would be in that position. But I don't doubt that many sent in thier ballots before Powell's announcement.

Not for me. My minds made up.

Thats all I better say I guess. ;)


BADWOLFBAY

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New news story on this: http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/10/20/Why-the-Powell-Endorsement-Might-Actually-Matter.aspx

Chris.

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With the news media backing Obama, and spending almost 0.5 billion dollars, and only a few points ahead of McCain, I don't think Obama can win.
I don't think Powell's endorsement will make any difference.

from eight to two %, depends of survey, and even 1% is more

from eight to two %, depends of survey, and even 1% is more

You are forgetting the effect where the people in the polls are not telling the truth, because they are afraid to tell the truth to the pollster.
This affect will cost Obama at least 5%.
Plus the polls are biased up to help Obama and as the election nears the pollsters bring the numbers done to where they really should be.

so obama´s lead is actually even bigger

Polls are biased to help obama ... I agree. I have been watching fox news for a long time now and it is so clear to me that they just love obama and would give him the job as president if they could. Fox is just not fair to the GOP. The media, fox really, just has to get it together and be fair and balanced to the republicans.

All that joking above set aside. I do agree with you that there is a chance the polls are wrong. But not exactly how you think. I'm afraid that a few democrats are saying they will support Obama so they don't look bad, but in fact will not support him in the election simply because he is black. Sorry but I think that is true and will shave off 2 to 3 percent. (i would love to be wrong)

Chris.

from eight to two %, depends of survey, and even 1% is more

You are forgetting the effect where the people in the polls are not telling the truth, because they are afraid to tell the truth to the pollster.
This affect will cost Obama at least 5%.
Plus the polls are biased up to help Obama and as the election nears the pollsters bring the numbers done to where they really should be.

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Polls are biased to help obama

Gore won the 'popular vote', Kerry won at the 'exit polls', and Bush is sitting on the throne... ;)

(Help, is a funny word these days.)

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It may not be 1984 but George Orwell sure did see the future . . .