12:33 p.m. Sen. Barack Obama entered the barbecue joint where an older and majority white clientele of dozens was eating lunch after church services. At the other end of the restaurant, Diane Fanning, 54, who works at a discount club, began yelling: “Socialist, socialist, socialist -– get out of here!”
There was a lot of noise and excitement and positive reception as well and it was unclear whether Obama heard her.
The gentleman next to Fanning, Lenox Bramble, 76, flashed an angry look at her. “Be civil, be courteous,” he admonished her. Another woman, Cecilia Hayslip, 61, yelled back at Fanning (per Reuters), “At least he’s not a warmonger!”
Mr. Bramble told Reuters’ pool reporter that he wasn’t voting for Obama because he didn’t think he had enough experience. Bramble’s wife, Kit, 75, said after meeting Obama, “He was very nice” but added she’d been a conservative Republican since Barry Goldwater’s era and she wouldn’t vote for Obama.
Fanning said (after considerable public Colin Powell discussion) that she’d heard Powell had endorsed Obama but...
...that “Colin Powell is a RINO, R-I-N-O, Republican In Name Only. This is my one day off,” she muttered.
Later, Obama came to the long table where Fanning and other members of a local First Presbyterian church were gathered. He held out his hand to her to shake it and asked, “How are you, ma’am?” but she declined to shake.
He spoke at length with many of the other parishioners at the long banquet table, however, and got a much friendlier reception as he spoke about healthcare, taxes and Social Security. Fanning told the pool reporter, “Some of them are just nicer than I am. I know how some of them think.”
But several of her fellow churchgoers said their support was genuine. Betty Waylett, 76, told him, “You’re doing a great job.” She told the pool reporter she is a Republican but will vote for Obama because she likes the way he speaks and his manner.
Waylett, who is white, said Obama’s race was not a factor. “I never thought about it one way or the other.”
Waylett, there's a lot of folks just like you.
She should be ashamed. He handled this very well. How sad to be 54 AND ignorant Diane!
ReplyDeleteBlame Palin/McCain for this. They are terrible! I am reading something online and their rallies are passing out Obama change with a sickle and hammer, on a tee shirt. how horrible is the south. They were always like this and will be and never change. McCain gave the south something to freak out about
ReplyDeleteSeriously? This has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with race. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
ReplyDeleteIt has to do with a republican hating on a democrat and calling him a socialist. Where is the racism? WHERE IS THE RACISM?
What she said was stupid and rude; but it is NOT racist just because Obama happens to be black. I thought we were past that.
Good lord
My name is Diane Fanning and I am so embarrassed by this other Diane Fanning.
ReplyDeleteI am an author of true crime and mystery books and one of my books, Written in Blood, was set in North Carolina. It greatly concerns me that some people may confuse me with that woman.
I live in Texas. I am not 54. And I have been a supporter of Senator Obama's quest for the White House for many months.