[byrneseyeview]

If you have children in the Iraq war, you might feel differently.

Can you explain your argument? It sounds like you're implying "If you had more information, you would reach a different conclusion," but what you're really saying is "If you were subjected to different emotional pressures, you would ignore evidence and come to a new conclusion."

I mean, if a judge is deciding a case against Philip Morris, and has all of his retirement money in Philip Morris stock, he's going to see things differently -- but it's not going to improve his decision.

[sharkfish]

It seems to me that people with children in the war are more likely to want a leader that supports getting out of the war sooner rather than "staying the course".

Anecdotal, of course, but the people I know who have been over there or who have children in the war claim they don't see that we are going to accomplish much and want to the US to leave Iraq as soon as is feasible. Whereas McCain is more about winning the war, my impression of Obama and from his statements, is that Obama is not so much about winning as much as wanting the war to come to a reasonable end.

So yes, if you had an investment in the war personally, you would probably have more direct information rather than propaganda about the war. Regardless of your emotions.