Bush Losing Support Among Supporters

Some Disaffected Republicans Plan To Vote Democratic To Protest War Conduct

(CBS)  At the Kettle Diner in Jacksonville, N.C., it's faith, family and the Corps. Jacksonville is home to Camp Lejuene, the largest Marine Corps base on the East Coast.

But, as CBS News national correspondent Byron Pitts found, even in Jacksonville, where support for the warriors remains strong, support for the president and his handling of the war may be waning.

"There's a lot of people who think we've been there too long," said Cpl. John Miller. "But personally I think we should stay there until they have an established government."

Asked is she still supports the war in Iraq, restaurant manager Lilly Cantrell answers with an emphatic "yes" — but she pauses first.

Would she have hesitated that long to answer the question three or four years ago?

"No," she says.

What's changed in those three or four years? Things just get worse and worse, she says.

A recent CBS News/New York Times poll found that 65 percent of Americans disapprove of the way the Bush administration is handling the war.

Even some lifelong conservatives aren't hearing the president's message anymore.

"I've turned him off," said retired Marine Col. Jim Van Riper. "I've tuned him out."

Van Riper is a Christian, card-carrying member of the National Rifle Association who voted for President Bush twice. But as more Marines have died, his confidence in the Bush administration has died as well.

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Watch an extended interview with Col. Van Riper

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"If they had done it their way and it succeeded, I couldn't be talking to you like this," he says. "They did it their way, they failed and they won't admit it. That's arrogance, and I don't mind arrogance, except when there's dead bodies as a result."

So this November, for the first time, Van Riper will vote for Democrats — across the board.

"I've voted Republican nearly all my life. I'm very conservative," he says. "My hope is that Democrats win the House."

Van Riper's twin brother is a retired Marine general whose love for the Corps remains strong, but the war in Iraq is personal.

"I had a son there. I have a nephew there now," Col. Van Riper says. "It's personal."

Asked what he would say to President Bush if he got the chance, Van Riper replies, "Sir, I'm disappointed."

In Jacksonville, a place where war is so very personal and faith so very deep — the president is preaching to a choir with some members who no longer seem quite so willing to believe.

[whight]

This article is right on. All my retired military (many) friends feel the same way. You screwed up, you suffer.

[elenorfarris]

While political war issues are being disputed daily, and we anxiously await an election "2008", OUR BOYS are being murdered in Iraq, etc.......
Its easy for people in their nice safe environment to say we have to finish the job. But in the meantime, OUR BOYS ARE IN HARMS WAY. This is Viet Nam all over again. An endless war.
Or this is the way it seems right now.
BRING OUR BOYS HOME !!!!!!

[notbuynit]

The people are finished with this absurd war, and those who created it. I see the defenders on websites and a few on the radio, but can't find one on the street. The people are going to end this stupid war, very soon.

[juliewriter1]

Retired Marine Col. Jim Van Riper is a man who knows good military leadership. If he or any US military officer were guilty of misrepresenting a combat situation, they'd be fired, pure and simple. Now, Col. Van Riper is saying our President and Commander in Chief made a mistake by invading Iraq. Mr. President Bush - Sir: You should be held to an even higher standard than those officers and enlisted who swear an oath of allegiance to defend our country and follow your orders. You should stand up and say, "I made a mistake. We never should have invaded Iraq. Instead, we should have gone after and destroyed the Taliban and Al Qaeda when we had them on the run in Afghanistan." Mr. President, please listen to those who know good military leadership. Thank you, Col. Van Riper, for speaking the truth.

[sanityseeker]

After hearing Max Cleland tell it, this administration and GOP Congress has talked tough but tragically failed to deliver across the board. The resounding protest to the Bush Administration are those voices angry at his repeated failures to get the bad guys, his failed presumptions and recklessnes about invading Iraq, his failed strategies to win the peace in Iraq and his alienatation of our allies while emboldening our enemies.
Mr. Bush's initial unwillingness to create a Homeland Security cabinet post then his lack of leadership in promoting the 9/11 Commission recomendations has left us feeling less safe.
Mr. Bush is way out of touch with the American people. His indifference to the suffering post Katrina, his lack of leadership in taking care of our own citizens from New Orleans, still suffering a year later seems as if he simply doesn't care.
Then adding insult to injury, he refuses to rebutt the criticisms regarding his failures and simply tells us we are aiding and abetting the enemy by being critical.
Camus said, "terror makes fear and fear stops thinking". America has moved from fear to thinking again.

[kwlambi]

well, he lost his soul, but never had one. his answer was to vote demo? a joke cast him away.. far away where he belongs

[kwlambi]

he accepted 250 dolaars to say that...what a sorry man...

[gobucks1870]

I'm starting to think I'll die before this country has elected officials that are decent enough to take home to meet Mom. I am so weary of spin, arrogance, double talk, pandering and never answering the question asked. Am I alone in this thinking?

[fattop1]

Yeah. let's deny the troops another victory! Just like the doom sayers of thirty some years ago, Van Riper has become a defeatist. Van Riper should know all about arrogance, just ask him.
I do agree that the President is mishandling the war. He should forget politics and do what he has to to get a victory.
Personal to Van Riper--You may be skinnyand I may be fat but I am still a patriot and would answer the call today if needed.

[newsjeff-2009]

If I vote democrat this fall it won't be to "vote against Bush's ideas". It will be because I believe that democrats have a better plan for winning the war on terrorism which should be bring Bin Laden to justice, and that democrats have a better plan for America's future. There is lots of domestic problems in this country in every state that need to be addressed. Rising crime rates,murder rates,robbery rates,DUIs,child abuse,senior abuse,rising unemployment rates in certain parts of America,high gasoline prices,energy prices,global warming,utility costs,etc. While democrats have addressed some of these problems all I here Republicans doing is praising the Iraq war,discussing and promoting religion,bashing abortion,making laws so the government defines who is married and who isn't, and tax cuts that only benefit certain people. Abortion and Marriage should be a personal issue not a government issue.

[patriokat]

With all the news worthy stories going on at any given time in the world, wonder why Col. Jim Van "Griper" received so much airtime.

I've been in this world a long time and one thing I've learned is, "you can find someone, somewhere that has a gripe on any given subject at any given time."

The fact this man says he's always been Republican doesn't mean it's so. Fact is I suspect such a ploy from a Democrat.

So he thinks Pres. Bush didn't do it right! That's another thing I've learned from being a long time in this world. We all have a tendancy to judge others actions against how "we think" it should have been done. You can always find someone, somewhere to say on any given subject at any give time "it should have been done different."

[drrobert4]

Doesn't anyone see that Bush is a meglomaniac and obvious to anyone that he has severe mental problems. Problem #2, it really isn't Bush who is pushing the buttons because he is too stupid and ill=informed to do so. It is his handlers, Chaney,Rice, Rumsfelt and others who we don't hear about. They will not win in Iraq anymore than Russia didn't win in Afganistan. They are terrified to leave because of the oil. That is their only concern world wide,not the people, freedom or democracy. If this was their interest, they wouldn't be taking it away from the American people. Bush and his minions are war criminals plain and simple and belong in jail.

[grumpy1963]

<b>HEADLINE: Bush Losing Support Among Supporters</b>
<i>Some Disaffected Republicans Plan To Vote Democratic To Protest War Conduct</i>

Hmmm...isn't this much like cutting one's nose off to spite their face? I think it would be a colossal mistake to allow one's emotions get in the way of logic. Simply because one may be "disaffected" with Republicans, this doesn't automatically preclude that, somehow, the left are more capable of success. In fact, the idea that the left are more capable of success is laughable...and, why would anyone in their right mind want to make things <b><i>worse</i></b> because they're <b><i><u>MAD</u></i></b> at Republicans? If one wants to allow the left to play on anyone's particular given anger and somehow compel them to vote for a weak-kneed lackadaisical lefty? I suspect all they're going to find they're ultimately doing is digging their own grave. You think things are bad now with respect to Iraq and the War on Terror? Vote for an infernal lefty and you'll have seen nothing yet. COUNT ON IT!

[grumpy1963]

<b>HEADLINE: Bush Losing Support Among Supporters</b>
<i>Some Disaffected Republicans Plan To Vote Democratic To Protest War</i>

Go ahead...vote Democrat to "protest the war". Then, we'll all truly get that "another Vietnam" the left have so desperately and eagerly wanted since this endeavor began. Remember, the last time Democrats controlled a <u>significant</u> <i>combat-type</i> scenario, soldiers were coming home by the thousands <b>a DAY</b>. So, you just go right ahead and vote Democrat because you're <b><i>MAD</i></b> at Republicans and, in your impatient <i>everything-needs-to-be-done-NOW</i> attitude...and, see what ya' get. We (Republicans) don't want your wobbly, whiny lackadaisical attitude in our ranks anyway. I can only imagine, and shake my head in disgust at the thought, if people like you (Mr. Van Riper) would have been the staple of American resolve 65 years ago. You make me sick!

[grumpy1963]

<b>ElenorFarris at 07:44 PM : Sep 07, 2006 says:</b> While political war issues are being disputed daily, and we anxiously await an election "2008", OUR BOYS are being murdered in Iraq, etc.......
Its easy for people in their nice safe environment to say we have to finish the job. But in the meantime, OUR BOYS ARE IN HARMS WAY. This is Viet Nam all over again. An endless war.
Or this is the way it seems right now.
BRING OUR BOYS HOME !!!!!!

Who asked ya' to "BRING OUR BOYS HOME"? Who appointed you theirs, and their friends' and families', spokesperson? Curious thing is, I've rarely seen a soldier yet who does not believe in what he/she is doing and, does not believe what he/she is doing is right and important. However, I've seen scores of folks who <i><b>act</b></i> like they've somehow been appointed these soldiers' spokespeople and, their champion saviors. Here's a thought. What if a majority of them don't <u><b>want</b></u> you "bringing them home" before they believe their mission has been fulfilled? What majority of American soldiers has chosen <i>you</i> to be their spokesperson and savior?

Why is it that Republicans just don't accept that their "saviour", GW Bush, has made mistake after mistake in his policies - policies that are directly responsible for the loss of American lives.

They need to accept responsibility for the mistakes made by GW Bush and his morally bankrupt buddies, who are more interested in lining their pockets then keeping American men and women alive.

If you were a true American, a true patriot, you would put aside political allegiances and you would demand that your Government - Democrat or Republican - be held responsible for their mistakes.

If you don't, then you are not a true patriot.

fattop1 said the following:

"Personal to Van Riper--You may be skinnyand I may be fat but I am still a patriot and would answer the call today if needed."

You are needed.

Enlistments are down, so why don't you show us that you are a true patriot, instead of making empty, meaningless statements.

Get off your butt, lose that weight and join up.

Talk is cheap - if you mean it, do it.

[man1300]

IS THIS THE BEST YOU CAN COME UP WITH? Your story%u2019s lead about %u201CBush losing support%u201D falls entirely flat. Byron Pitts first interviews a marine corporal, who says he wants the U.S. to remain in Iraq and see the job through %u2013 OK, let%u2019s not give this guy too much air time, let%u2019s move on. Next they try the restaurant manager, who also supports the war after a thoughtful pause to ponder the question %u2013 quick, move on again.

Finally CBS trots out its star witness, the compulsory clean-cut-buttoned-up-former-hawk-now-disaffected-peacenik-retired-military-officer-type-guy. Straight out of the media playbook embraced by Wesley Clark, the Democrat Party, ad nauseum. Give this guy maximum exposure, CBS %u2013 wouldn%u2019t want you to spend too much on-camera time with your other interview subjects who obviously couldn%u2019t be coached into saying something negative about the mission or the president, other than the universal sentiment that everyone prefers peace over war and likes our troops to be home.

Bottom line %u2013 you gave us yet another worthless %u201Cnews%u201D story where someone was provided time to complain without offering any solutions whatsoever. And THAT, my friends, definitely comes straight from the media and Democrat playbook. Complaint without solution.

[grumpy1963]

<b>mcdazz at 06:22 AM : Sep 08, 2006 says:</b> Why is it that Republicans just don't accept that their "saviour", GW Bush, has made mistake after mistake in his policies - policies that are directly responsible for the loss of American lives.

They need to accept responsibility for the mistakes made by GW Bush and his morally bankrupt buddies, who are more interested in lining their pockets then keeping American men and women alive.

If you were a true American, a true patriot, you would put aside political allegiances and you would demand that your Government - Democrat or Republican - be held responsible for their mistakes.

If you don't, then you are not a true patriot.

<b>Well, gee, this might be all fine and good if I were to accept that <i>you've</i> been appointed the Grand Poobah of deciding what constitutes a "mistake". However, since you haven't been?

Further, you're not authorized to decide who is a "true patriot" and, who isn't, except for, of course, only in your fantastic imagination.

And, lastly, don't get <i>mad</i> because you can't cajole everyone in to conforming to the wishes if <i>you</i> and <i>your</i> collective and, accept <i>you</i> and <i>your</i> collective as our "savior".</b>

[grumpy1963]

<b>mcdazz at 06:27 AM : Sep 08, 2006 says:</b> fattop1 said the following:

"Personal to Van Riper--You may be skinnyand I may be fat but I am still a patriot and would answer the call today if needed."

You are needed.

Enlistments are down, so why don't you show us that you are a true patriot, instead of making empty, meaningless statements.

Get off your butt, lose that weight and join up.

Talk is cheap - if you mean it, do it.

<b>Will you be there for the opposing side?</b>

[grumpy1963]

If Republicans <i>really</i> want to win the upcoming November elections, all they have to do is play extremely dirty and dust off all of the speeches from those of the left-wing political spectrum and, speeches from Usama bin Laden and other Islamo-fascists and, no one would be able to much tell the difference. If they were to be able to disguise the faces of the lefties in their ranting speeches, one would swear to God they were listening to the fanatic rants of jihadists. Then, we wouldn't necessarily have to worry about whether Mr. Van Riper decided to <i>cast his vote for a Democrat</i> or not.

Grumpy1963 complained:

"If they were to be able to disguise the faces of the lefties in their ranting speeches, one would swear to God they were listening to the fanatic rants of jihadists."

You must be talking about all that hate filled propaganda calling for the destruction of another group of people.

Kinda like a GW Bush speech - filled with hate fueled propaganda and lies.

Whether it's the jihadists lying about America, or GW Bush lying about the WMD's in Iraq etc etc - it all amounts to one thing.

A war waged on lies that brings about the death of innocent lives.

[jrs1643]

As the Colonel gave the same interview in November 05 to CNN, (see Newsbusters) I don't have a problem with his views, but why does CBS think it is new(s). I expect Katie will be wishing all of us a Happy and Healthy 2006 in about 4 weeks. I think I'll take "fake but accurate" anytime.

[jval102]

Respectfully, I could not disagree more with this guy. Finding his polar opposite - decorated Marine with family serving, etc. would not be hard.

While I sincerely appreciate that he served, separated from that %u2013 his opinion %u2013 I am not impressed. Woulda%u2019- Coulda%u2019- Shoulda%u2019%u2026Monday morning quarterbacking is nothing new.

[grumpy1963]

<b>mcdazz gets mad:</b> Grumpy1963 complained:

"If they were to be able to disguise the faces of the lefties in their ranting speeches, one would swear to God they were listening to the fanatic rants of jihadists."

<i>"You must be talking about all that hate filled propaganda calling for the destruction of another group of people."</i>

Well, whether it be the literal destruction or the political destruction, it all has much the same flavor. Further, you aren't conversing with a 5-year-old who isn't quite aware of comments emanating from the more lunatic fringe of the left.

Further, can you enlighten us on what group of people it is this alleged propaganda is calling for the destruction of? Could this group of people be Islamo-fascists? And, am I supposed to be distraught because the destruction of Islamo-fascists is being called for?

[grumpy1963]

<b>mcdazz gets mad:</b> Grumpy1963 complained:

"If they were to be able to disguise the faces of the lefties in their ranting speeches, one would swear to God they were listening to the fanatic rants of jihadists."

<i>Whether it's the jihadists lying about America, or GW Bush lying about the WMD's in Iraq etc etc - it all amounts to one thing.

A war waged on lies that brings about the death of innocent lives.</i>

I'm sure you're one to be lecturing others about lying...huh? Further, when someone has proven something in a court of law or legal equivalent thereof? Get back to us. Since I'm sure you'd proclaim your keenness with respect to the U.S. Constitution, I'm sure you'll afford the President of the United States the luxury of being innocent until proven guilty in a court of law or legal equivalent thereof...right?

And, of course, lastly? Don't lecture me about the "death of innocent lives" if you would have found solace and content in having left Saddam in power, in Iraq.

[fattop1]

I did go when needed (2 Wars-Viet Nam and the first Gulf War) I did inquire about recall-not needed at this time, at least I tried.

[juliehg-2009]

Dear Mr. Grumpy 1963,

I've read all of the comments that have posted since Col. VanRipper's interview last night. Although I didn't waste my time counting, it appears you're the winner -- hands down. Either you have insomnia, are retired, don't have a life, OR your employer is losing money because you aren't doing your job.

Since you seem to have so-o-o-o-o much to say, with some of it being just plain rude, why don't you contact the producers of the CBS Evening News and volunteer for one of the "Free Speech" segments? Maybe you could be a follow-up for Mr. Limbaugh. You'd certainly have a captive audience, and the world would certainly be aprised of your opinion, while the rest of us would simply click the MUTE button!

By the way, when I was a kid, I had VietNam as a side dish EVERY night with dinner (my father was a Marine and fought in Korea. The number of injured, dead, or almost dead were great topics of discussion for three little kids. Ditto for Iraq, Afgahanistan and any child these days.

You go right ahead and applaud Mr. President as he continues to have the mindset of Don Quijote and his sidekick Pancho Sanza -- they chased windmills or haven't you heard?

Sincerely,
Been there,done that--already bought the tee shirt