Posted on 08/12/2007 3:09:55 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Four top-tier presidential candidates have accepted invitations to speak to the 108th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., which starts Aug. 18 in the hometown of the VFW's national headquarters, Kansas City, Mo.
Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and John McCain (R-AZ) are scheduled to speak Aug. 20, and former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) will speak Aug. 21.
"This is the candidates' opportunity to address the national convention of America's oldest and largest organization of combat veterans," said VFW Commander-in-Chief Gary Kurpius, from Anchorage, Alaska.
"In our audience will be veterans from every war since World War II," said Kurpius, who served in the Army in Vietnam during the 1968 Tet Offensive.
"We want to know how, if elected to our nation's highest office, they will prosecute the war on terrorism. We want to know how they will protect America, what their positions are on national security, military readiness and homeland security, and how they will enhance military and veteran healthcare programs, increase benefits, and expand Quality of Life initiatives."
According to three USA Today/CNN/Gallup polls during the 2004 presidential election , America's veterans were politically aligned 47 percent Republican and 42 percent Democrat , and ideologically, were exactly even at 43 percent each between moderate and conservative.
More important, according to an earlier VFW magazine survey, is that 91 percent of veterans vote in presidential elections, compared to a national average of 64 percent during the 2004 election, and 60 percent in the 2000 election.
"If you include spouses and adult-age children, the nation's veteran family approaches 75 million Americans," explained Kurpius. "A quarter of the entire population of the United States is a voting bloc that absolutely cannot be ignored by any politician at any level."
The VFW was founded in 1899 by Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection veterans who came home to a government that bore no responsibility to care for their wounds or for their families. Since then, the VFW has been the top champion of military and veterans' rights on Capitol Hill.
Approximately 10,000 VFW and Ladies Auxiliary delegates will represent the 2.3 million-member organization at the annual weeklong convention to approve new national priorities to guide the organization as it lobbies Congress on issues important to the nation's 24 million veterans, her two million servicemembers, and their families.
Convention delegates will also elect a new VFW national commander and recognize prominent individuals for their support of America's veterans and military personnel.
I wish she'd get here crusty package on down the road.
Hope our fellow Vets give Mrs. Clinton the welcome she deserves.
!INCOMING!
I can't speak for Rudy or Mitt, but I suspect that probably only the frontrunners were invited.
Either way, this looks like this type of thing is right up Fred's alley. One thing is for sure, he is a very good public speaker.
That's an easy one for Obama and Hitlrey.
They will support the troops 100% once they call for them to come home and relinquish their uniforms, tax them to death to support making them a ward of the state like the rest of us.
Does anyone have that photo of the vets standing with their backs turned to Kerry (who served in Viet Nam) at one of his appearances before the VA. ?
Four democrats? They could not find any Republicans. Crazy. Vets are normally for the Republicans.
Hahahaha! You made a funny! Four dems indeed! More like one Marxist, one Jihadist, one RINO and the next president of the United States—Fred Thompson!!
Fred Thompson has not declared he is running yet. I guess if he decides by the speech then we can say 4 democrats and a Republican. Fred Thompson MIGHT be our next president. Mitt Romney kicked his butt in Iowa.
“Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and John McCain (R-AZ) are scheduled to speak Aug. 20, and former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) will speak Aug. 21.”
Odd choices. The only one with any military experience is McCain and he’s already tanked and Fred isn’t even running.
*ping*
Any idea if Duncan Hunter was invited to participate in this event?
Hope she gets booed, Big-Time.
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