Monday, June 09, 2008

Veterans Ready to Knock Doors for Peters - Detroit News

Dems battle to woo leery veterans

Party works to shake off lingering anti-war image with more focus on military issues.
Deb Price / The Detroit News
WASHINGTON -- Army veteran Chuck Griffiths grew up in a Democratic household, but feels the party "abandoned" him decades ago and hasn't won back his trust on military issues.

"The anti-war activists were outside the Democratic Party in '68 and running the party by '72," said Griffiths of Westland. "It's anti-military, by and large. If they really want to appeal to people like me, they need to put more guys like (Vietnam War veteran and Virginia Sen.) Jim Webb in leadership positions and not as window dressing."

His view isn't hard to find around VFW halls and other gathering spots of veterans. Pollsters and military analysts say vets tend to be more conservative -- and more Republican -- than other voters. But Democrats, in a national trend demonstrated in Michigan, are increasingly trying to woo the Chuck Griffiths of America.

The party is running challengers with Persian Gulf-era military experience, such as Gary Peters, who is trying to oust eight-term Republican Rep. Joe Knollenberg in Oakland County and has a "Veterans for Gary Peters" group ready to knock on doors for him. CLICK HERE for the rest of the story.

4 comments:

Joe Sylvester said...

Bruce, you are one whiney little girl.

Bruce Fealk said...

Wow, that really hurts. Such an intelligent comment.

Sounds like something a third grader would say.

MIKE said...

I realize that passions are running high, but we need more light and less heat! Debate the issues Mr. Sylvester - that is what freedom of speech is all about. Name calling is something usually Republicans resort to because they don't have a leg to stand on.

Joe Sylvester said...

I don't see anything wrong with what he says. The undignified manner in which he goes about it is the issue I have.

In some of the YouTube clips, he does sound like a whiney little girl. Maybe if you got someone to do what you are doing that doesn't sound like a whiney little girl, maybe then you will get more traction...and maybe a little respect.