It's OK to be politically blue, military wives say

NORFOLK

The blue "Obama-Biden" yard signs are hidden in the garage. The Obama bumper stickers are magnets, easy to remove when the husband drives the family SUV to the base. When politics comes up at barbecues and other work-related events, they measure their words.

But a few military wives have stepped out this year to back the Democratic candidate as members of Blue Star Families for Obama.

"There's a preconceived notion that if you're in the military, you watch Fox News and are Republican," said co-founder Amanda McBreen, who lives in Suffolk with her husband, a Marine lieutenant colonel, and their children. "I'm an issues person."

McBreen and two other local members, Vivian Greentree and Stephanie Himel-Nelson, are among about a dozen women driving the national campaign.

Military voters typically are a reliable base for Republicans. GOP candidate John McCain has even deeper ties as a naval aviator revered for his heroism as a prisoner of war.

An unscientific poll conducted by Military Times this month found its readers preferred McCain over Barack Obama by almost a 3-1 margin. McCain held solid leads in every category except black service members.

The voluntary survey drew on 4,290 current and former subscribers from all service branches, the National Guard and Reserves. Military Times noted that its readers are generally older, higher ranking and more likely to make a career of military service.

In Virginia, conservatives can point to a four-decade dominance in presidential elections.

Service members in Virginia favor McCain by almost a 2-1 margin, according to a poll conducted Oct. 1 by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. The Republican ticket drew a large, pro-military crowd at a rally in Virginia Beach last week.

But in Hampton Roads, several dozen military family members have organized to target military voters through canvassing and phone banks. They produced an online commercial for the campaign, pitching Obama to the military community.

They host Democratic rallies and organize debate-watching parties and meet-the-candidate gatherings.

On Tuesday night, the American and Naval Academy flags flew at the door of Casey Spurr's home in Virginia Beach. Her yard was one of the few with Obama signs in the neighborhood.

Spurr, 29, joined the group about a month ago. It's a long way from her first political experience as secretary for the Young Republicans club at Bayside High School.

Spurr graduated from Virginia Tech, married a Navy fighter pilot and settled down in Virginia Beach. Last year, the couple had their first child. Both her husband and father-in-law are "very, very Republican," she said.

Spurr was motivated to support Obama after her husband received orders for a land-based mission in Iraq when she was seven months pregnant. The Navy is asking more service members to take on such untraditional assignments in combat zones to assist the Army and Marines, whose ranks have been strained by the war. The orders were postponed, but her husband is now overseas.

Spurr didn't hesitate to join the Obama campaign but said she is cautious when talking politics around other spouses.

The strain of the wars is overwhelming young military families, she said. She believes that if Obama wins, he'll redeploy troops and ease the heavy deployment schedules.

"It would have a huge impact," she said.

The Spurr living room is decorated with models of jet aircraft and a framed painting of a World War II fighter plane. About 15 people, most with military ties, shook hands with and listened to Glenn Nye, the Democratic candidate for the 2nd Congressional District.

They peppered him with questions about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the GI Bill, and the stumbling economy.

Himel-Nelson, whose husband recently retired from the Naval Reserve, said liberal politics can strain friendships and stain careers.

"It's sort of like a secret society within the military," Himel-Nelson said. "You know, those Democrats with the secret handshake."

An attorney specializing in government contracting, she said political persuasion can affect government contracts. Her clients often are advised to "stay on the good side" of the contracting officer, she said.

Her husband has generally supported her efforts, she said, with a few compromises - she keeps the Obama yard signs in her garage.

When the women shot their commercial along the street, several neighbors turned down requests to film in front of their homes when they learned the cause, said Greentree, who also blogs for PilotOnline.com.

McBreen helped form Blue Star Families while at Parris Island, S.C. She and her husband had several long discussions before she joined.

Officers are directed to stay clear of politics for fear of influencing the votes of their troops, she said. But she felt that "as wives, we could make a statement."

They realize they have an uphill battle, starting at home. Most are not convinced they have turned their husbands from red to blue.

Louis Hansen, (757) 446-2322, louis.hansen@pilotonline.com