It wasn't a scientific poll, and it's just one report about a relatively small number of U.S. troops, but this ABC News report nevertheless suggests that the "military vote," if there is such a thing, may very well be up for grabs in this election.
Of particular interest, ABC spoke to the troops about their political preferences immediately after listening to Dick Cheney give what the network described as a "rousing speech." Presumably, if the troops were going to be persuaded to back the candidate who agrees with the Bush administration on Iraq policy, this was the time.
And yet, of the troops quoted in the ABC piece, four back Barack Obama, one supports Hillary Clinton, and none went on record endorsing John McCain.
As Will Bunch put it, "These soldiers/citizens/voters are concerned about the same things their like-minded Americans back home care about, like the economy and avoiding future wars that might be even more ill-advised than the one they've been sent to fight."
And this means the troops, like the rest of the country, are ready to consider a candidate offering a departure from the past eight years.
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