Big loss for Obama; National Police group with 325000 members formally endorses McCain; Police had supported Obama in 04

NoBAMA endorsements

1. 7/17 Pittsburgh Standard endorses McCain, citing concerns over Obama's radical friends
   
2. 9/6 Big loss for Obama; National Police group with 325000 members formally endorses McCain; Police had supported Obama in 04
3. 9/8 New York Post endorses McCain; notes stark differences with freshman Sen. Barack Obama on National Security, taxes, energy
4. 9/8 NRO - Obama is in deep deep trouble; conservatives have moved from "not voting" to genuine belief McCain will reform Washington DC
5. 9/24 SF Examiner cuts through Obama's high toned speeches; endorses McCain for President: right leader for Nation's crisis
6. 10/24 Detroit News endorses McCain; cites his vow to freeze spending; attack waste; and vastly superior foreign policy experience

Bad news for Obama as the Nation's Police group formally endorsed McCain. When Obama ran for US Senate in 2004 the same Police group had supported BHO.

Source Detroit Free Press

The Fraternal Order of Police endorsed the Republican presidential ticket of Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Friday in Detroit.

The national organization is meeting in Detroit this week, and the Republican ticket stopped at the Renaissance Center to meet with the group that represents more than 325,000 police officers.

"He understands the words in the line of duty and knows all too well what it means to put their life on the line," said FOP President Chuck Canterbury. "This has been a long and hard campaign."

Ken Starrs, a national trustee for the FOP from Texas, said more than two-thirds of the organization's states supported McCain.

"Each state gets a vote, and in Texas, we decided that experience is what we wanted," Starrs said.

McCain and Palin met with members of the group later.

"Governor, you're a breath of fresh air," said Cherie Hunter of Oxford, a member of the group based in Pontiac. "I have a child with disabilities, and I think you're going to do a wonderful job."

Hunter's 36-year-old daughter has cerebral palsy.

McCain joked to the group, "I've never felt safer. It might be a good idea to take you all with us to Washington."

He also singled out union members in the crowd, noting that Palin's husband, Todd, is a "proud member of the United Steelworkers union."

About the group...from Wiki

The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is an organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It claims a membership of over 325,000 members organized in 2100 local chapters (lodges), organized into local lodges, state lodges, and the national Grand Lodge. The FOP calls itself "the voice of our nations's law enforcement officers."[1]

The FOP has some characteristics of a trade union, although it is not described as such and labels itself a "full service member representation organization."[1] It lobbies Congress and regulatory agencies on behalf of law enforcement officers, provides labor representation, promotes legal defense for officers, and offers resources such as legal research. It also sponsors charities such as Easter Seals, Special Olympics, memorials for fallen officers, and support programs for spouses and family members of police officers.

The national organization has three offices: the Labor Services Division in Columbus, Ohio, and the Steve Young Law Enforcement Legislative Advocacy Center in Washington, D.C., and the Atnip-Orms Center National Headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee,

Its unclear the extent to which the Portagate Affair played any role in influencing the Police votes. My guess is it's far more to do with the strength of Senator John McCain's long history of distinguished service to our country which has made him a hero to other like-minded public servants such as our courageous first responders. His choice of running mate Governor Palin with her record of reform also probably contributed. The fact, that she may have put pressure on the boss of a Trooper who tazered her 10 year old nephew, to fire the Trooper obviously didn't hurt the McCain ticket with America's police.