Travellers’ Blog Entry No. 37

When we've been to Watts to visit the polling place, I met Craig.
The Afro-American was born and raised in California, but went to New York with his family when he was 16 years old. In 1990 he came back to California - now he is 49 years old and works and lives in his homestate again. He married an American woman and has two children (3 and 15 years old).

He was one of a few people who voted at this late afternoon. "I had to work until three o'clock.", he explained. Craig told us, that he will now organize an election party with his neighbors and friends.
The sticker ("Hope") on his suit had already told us the secret of his vote, when he said: "I voted for Barack Obama today."

How did it feel to go to this historical election? Craig: "I really was overwhelmed by my feelings. I could do my part to elect an Afro-American man President of the USA."

But does he only trust in Barack Obama being a good President, because he is Black? The surprising answer: "I am a Democrat since I can think of it. This year I really did not study the program of the Democratic candidate - when I saw that there is a black candidate besides Hilary Clinton it was clear for me. This guy must become the next President!"

You could not avoid to hear Obama speak about his programs, right? Craig laughed "No, of course, I know about his health care plans and his tax plans, but I have to confess, that his program does not really matter to me. He black, he is one of us. He will lead our country much better than any White man could do. He has the right point of view and he has the experiences many other Blacks have - it feels like I am voting for someone I personally know."

When he left the polling place to go to his election party we saw, that his car has dozens of bumper stickers on it.
Another lesson we learned: Not every Obama supporter is into his political programs. Not every bumper sticker represents a political person.