"I'm a Democrat, but I can't be with you. I don't want no Muslims in there."

[rhombus]

A pretty sad but telling commentary.

The Field's Al Giordano writes about a very recent trip to Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Six months after Obama had bowled here, Joann Nardelli - a Democratic State Committeewoman who had worked hard for Senator Clinton's pres idential campaign - escorted The Field into that same Pleasant Valley bowling alley to see how the locals viewed the Obama v. McCain contest.

As we walked in and said hello to some bowlers near the entrance, an aging man with a neatly trimmed white beard approached Nardelli and said, as if confessing, "I'm a Democrat, but I can't be with you. I don't want no Muslims in there."

She presented me to him as a reporter. "Ah," he scoffed. "You won't print that in the Meer."

"The Meer?"

"The Meer! Nope, you won't print that."

Nardelli explained that he was speaking of the local daily, The Altoona Mirror.

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/thefield/theyre-out-here-altoona-mccain-country


This election is going to be close despite what the polls are saying now.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Your concern is duly noted.

[Stand and Fight]

3. Yes, duly noted. n/t

[Stand and Fight]

2. I sense that some here would certainly LIKE it to be close.

If I were you, I wouldn't speak so fast.

[progressiveforever]

4. It may be close, but there is not room for prejudice

I wish to God for the sake of all these right wing idealogues that Obama was a Muslim instead of a Christian to show that a Muslim can be an effective, open leader.

For the record, he's a Christian. But I hope we are able to elect a Muslim and soon.

[Blondiegrrl]

10. I'm with you on that.

I'm agnostic, but as long as our leaders practice separation of church and state, a candidate's religion makes no difference to me.

[npk]

5. Ah shucks. An elderly man is not with us

We're finished. Pack it up and lets all go home.

[Coexist]

8. that man is an example of 80%of mericans.

we're screwn.

[Sebastian Doyle]

11. Then I guess we need to throw 80% of 'mericans out of this country.

If they're really all racist pricks that can't get the fuck out of the 18th century.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Are we supposed to give a shit?

Here's the answer: We Don't.

Since this person didn't seem shy stating this in person, in someone's face, I doubt that same person would have a problem making this statement to a pollster calling on the phone! Doh! :eyes:

[Terran]

7. One guy's opinion makes you doubt

all the polls that agree today on the size of Obama's lead?

[RagAss]

9. Go home pops... Meals on Wheels will be there with breakfast in the morning.

[sniffa]

12. One thing I enjoy about the really f'n old guy who signs my daily field reports

Is that he openly calls Obama the n-bomb. I have no doubt where he stands or how he's going to vote. He also thinks McCain kicked Obama's ass in the first debate.

He's from Maine, living in Massachusetts and registered to vote in Florida. He claims he's going to vote (in Florida) but I doubt he will.

[GrizzlyMan]

13. Obama will win PA by 8-10 points

End of story.

But your concern is noted.

[firedupdem]

14. ok n/t

[AlCzervik]

15. are you implying that one guy from Altoona represents a whole voting block?

[Lex]

16. Altoona!

It's a microcosm.

[AlCzervik]

19. so you're saying that when Altoona talks it will play in Peoria?

ta dah, that was Sarah Palin impression.

[Lex]

23. Excellent. It's all about the jahbs.

Actually, I liked Palin's misuse of the word microcosm. Now I want to say it all the time about any place!

[AlCzervik]

27. sprinkle it in from time to time as a sentence enhancer! i've been saying "Well...certainly"

round the house lately and dropping my g's like i was leaving the hood.

[BlooInBloo]

20. Actually, it does for PA. It's why PA will be close numerically (but still a lock for us).

[AllentownJake]

21. Reagan democrats who haven't voted democrat since 1976

But still hold onto the name because they remember voting for Truman :shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

25. Nope. Just racist Democrats are what I'm talking about. The issue just never came up before....

with them, so white folks nationally could pretend such a block simply doesn't exist. Now that's no longer possible.

There aren't enough of them to change the election, it appears, thankfully.

And I'm looking forward specifically to taking a trip back to the 'burgh, heading out to Peechin's and shoving Obama's election down they're one-tooth-jug-playing-daughter-marrying throats.

[BlooInBloo]

17. That's nicer that I would have expected from PA hicks....

Of course, I think in terms of even more boonies than that, places like Connellsville, and the like.

[AllentownJake]

18. Altoona is in the T Alabama section of PA

They probably didn't vote for that Philly Jew Rendell either

Wait...he won by a landslide.

[Imagevision]

22. Don't at be surprised if it ends up an Obama landslide...

[demodonkey]

24. I got N****R LOVER screamed at me last Friday in Greensburg PA, as I held an Obama sign on street.

Greensburg is 30 mi east of Pittsburgh. County seat of Westmoreland, one of the "moderate" Dem counties.

[BlooInBloo]

26. Heh. It's scary the first few times, but you get over it pretty quickly.

[teenagebambam]

28. On the other hand...

my 80 year old mother, who has voted a straight Republican ticket since 1946 and still uses the word "colored" in everyday conversation, is voting for Obama. (This is a woman who denounced Dukakis because he was "a filthy Greek".) So go figure.