Sunday, October 26, 2008

Racism, rural Pennsylvania and the '08 Presidential race

That's a topic that has cropped up a few times in recent months. Here's the latest from the New York Times, dateline Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, population 11,734. Another town featured is Ambridge, population 7,769. Both are in western Pennsylvania, not far from Pittsburgh. Here's an excerpt from Michael Powell's story:

Mr. McCain may have an opening: 35 interviews over three days offer up a conversation about race and presidential choices, and that is where the greatest uncertainty lies for Mr. Obama. Sometimes race talk runs like a subterranean river. Sometimes it floats right on the surface.

The story features lots of rich and interesting quotes from voters, some of them openly racist.

Also, NPR did this story last Friday from York, Pennsylvania, population 40,862, in the south central part of the state.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Ms. Bloomfield had just returned from her latest visit when she got a call about the shooting and immediately returned to St. Johns, a windy hamlet of horse ranches, low-slung houses and double-wide trailers about 170 miles east-northeast of Phoenix. The largest buildings are a few churches and schools along the single main road, which has no stoplights.
“People like their independence and freedom here,” said Wendy Guffey, 60, a substance abuse counselor at a local health clinic. “It’s sort of the redneck ethic. A lot of people haul their own water and live off generators and candles out here. Back to the land.
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