Military veterans favor President Bush over John Kerry by a 58 to 35 percent margin, according to a new poll.
The Rasmussen Reports survey also showed those with no military service favor Kerry by ten percentage points, 51 to 41.
Of those Americans who say they know someone serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, 54 percent favor Bush, compared to 44 percent siding with Kerry.
On the question of who would make a better commander in chief, Bush edges Kerry, 47 to 45 percent.
Fifty-four percent of veterans give the president good or excellent ratings for handling the situation in Iraq, the poll showed.
The opinion of veterans has coming sharply into focus recently with the release of a scathing TV commercial featuring a group of 13 men who served in Vietnam calling Kerry a liar and unfit for the presidency.
Also, the unreleased book “Unfit for Command” includes several stories questioning Kerry’s integrity, including one claiming the candidate earned his Silver Star in Vietnam “by killing a lone, fleeing, teenage Viet Cong in a loincloth.”
Related stories:
Vets: Kerry’s Silver Star undeserved
Kerry’s Viet comrades call him a liar in TV ad
Kerry’s wounds self-inflicted?
Kerry flip-flop on war footage
Controversy over Kerry’s re-enacted war scenes
Anti-Kerry vets to sue candidate?
Kerry honored at communist museum
‘Kerry lied while good men died’
