Ticket pool report: Barack Obama visits N.C. BBQ where not all is friendly

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Cape Fear BBQ and Chicken Restaurant. Some powerful and at times ugly interaction today.

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.”

Pastor Randal Bremer, also at the table, said Obama told him, “Whether you vote for me or not I’ll need your prayers.” Bremer told the pool reporter, “I’m very impressed by his ability to meet people on a down-to-earth level” and that he would pray from him but that he planned to vote for John McCain, mostly because he prefers smaller government and McCain’s position on the Iraq war.

He thinks there have been important gains in Iraq and “I don’t want to see that damaged by a premature pullout.”

Bloomberg news quotes Mike Long, 33, a furniture salesman who is a first-time voter, said (per Bloomberg) that after talking with Obama about healthcare, he’d gone from less than 50% likely to vote for him to “98%” likely.

Sheila Evans, 39, who is biracial, told Obama, “I’m so proud of you.” She said Obama had chosen a restaurant frequented more by whites, while one a couple of doors down had predominantly African American diners on Sundays.

But some of the other older white diners looked surprised and slightly uncomfortable as Obama stopped at their tables to shake hands. “I’m surprised, but I’m not going to say anything else,” said diner Pat Smith who was joined by her husband.

A group of six retired women said they were mostly Democrats -– but mostly undecided about how to vote. “I have to pray about it, think about what’s best for our country,” said Dorothy Buie, one of the women.

Obama ordered some food to go for himself and aides. They ordered chicken, collard greens, baked beans, cole slaw and wings. The tab was $13.91. The visit lasted about a half hour.

--Margaret Talev, McClatchy Newspapers

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Photo: Alex Brandon / Associated Press

Comments

[curiousbluedog]

I am from North Carolina and have lived here most of my life. Senator Obama's reception in Fayetteville is an embarassment to the people of our state. However, since Fayetteville hosts one of the largest military bases in the world, many of the people in Fayetteville are not from North Carolina and were not raised with North Carolina values. The ill-mannered behavior of the people in that diner sounds like they have adopted the "pit-bull" mentality of the McCain/Palin campaign. How sad for North Carolina and the country.

[David Ahlport]

Considering McCain's complicity in nationalizing the banks, and his proposal to buy out all those bad loans at their highest former price, rather than their current low price.

What McCain wants is to privatize the profits, and socialize the losses.

It seems like that whole "Socialist" rhetoric is rather weak now.

[Jenny]

How can those people not have "respect" for another person. I will be voting for Obama but but if MCCaine came into a diner, I would still shake his hand and say hello. Did you say these were church goers?? Hmmm they must have been asleep during the Bible readings. What would Jesus do people???

[Diane]

I wonder what most of these people think socialism means. What it is they imagine will happen to them? They aren't wealthy and live simply...what does socialism represent? I'd really like to know.

[Dr. Johnny Skeptic]

The hatred from the McCain supporters is downright scary. They sound like such hate mongers and at times, sound and behave like a lynch mob. These are people who are completely unaware of what Obama stands for because they are looking at the color of his skin. And McCain and Palin keep spreading that message to their supporters, inciting anger, racism, and the possibility of violence.

And these people want to represent all of us?

I think not.

[Joe Barone]

McCain's own comments helped cause this. She is just parroting what she heard McCain say. Two comments: (1) So much for Southern Hospitality. Maybe not everyone in North Carolina is polite; and (2) McCain calls Obama a socialist, but he would also call FDR a socialist. In the present economic meltdown, I'd rather have FDR than Herbert Hoover.

[che1111]

I agree with Paul - I am so tired of these people who don't want to pay taxes and then expect the government to bail them out when they need help. Southern California is a perfect example. All of those rich Republicans who want smaller government - some places in S. Cal don't even have police or firefighters. But when their homes are threatened by wildfires, they take the fire fighters from "liberal" northern California. Paying taxes is patriotic. Accepting tax dollars when you yourself refuse to pay is welfare. Republicans are the biggest recipients of welfare - who are the real socialists?

[Dhertzfe]

You think this is bad, you should have watched Hannity on FOX news. They had an hour long special on Sunday trying to tie Obama to Communism. It was appalling what the GOP and FOX are doing to this country. I can't wait for this to be over. This has to be one of the worst elections in our political history that is dividing our country.

[Dnae]

I hate the direction this country has taken in the last couple of weeks. How can McCain/Palin especially Palin sleep at night. This man have a wife and children. THey are making his safety real risky.God forbid something happens to Obama, how will McCain and Palin and the rethugs look at themselves in the mirror. I am sorry Poltics needs rules, because some people can go to far...and looking at Obama, reminds be of Martin Luther King Jr....I have mourned too many times for our great leaders, I am scared out of my mind more than ever now...What I like is that Obama said the to the pastor, regardless if you vote for me, I just need you to pray for me;. A man with a soul...

[Karen Puckett]

I love Obama!!!

As a North Carolinian, I'm a bit embarrassed that Obama was called a socialist. If anyone needs Obama in the White House, it's North Carolina's working class. Our state needs to put more people through college. Then maybe the tide of opinion will change. By the way, Obama is leading McCain in NC. I keep praying he will win here!

[KC]

Where do they find these crazy, misbehaving so-called Republican people in order to get Obama to meet them?

[SP in NC]

Being from NC, the small-minded reactions of others in this state (and, too, this country) sadden me. We are not all like that in NC. Many of us respect those we don't agree with and know how to disagree without being rude or mean.

I continue to be impressed with Barack Obama and will be proud to vote for him and Joe Biden.

"That which you do to the least of these, you also do to me." - Matthew 25:40

[Alamantra]

Alessandro Machi wrote::
"So Barack Obama is allowed to visit anywhere he wants, even if the people there don't want him there, so the news can create the fantasy that he IS wanted there?"

That's right. In America if you're hungry you have the right to go somewhere and get a bite to eat; even if the other patrons cannot control their own behavior. You overlook the fact that though the woman isn't obligated to vote for him, or even shake his hand when he offers ... she does owe it to the establishment and her dining companions to exercise a little self-control. Telling a loudmouth in a dining party who is creating a disturbance, being uncivil and being an embarassment to the other patrons is not sexism. It isn't Sen. Obama who was out of order.

[Joe the Vet]

Obama faces the music unlike McWuss with his staged and tiightly secured townhalls.

And by the way, just being half-black is not playing the race card.

[Ruth Marsh]

How sad that B. Obama is "labeled" as "Black" when is his mother was White. How about the correct terms for his race, Mulatto or Bi-racial? Then he could be more accurately identified. Isn't he a part of us all, both the Blacks and the Whites? Let just say he is a man for all people. So, think of him as a member of the Human Race. (Does race really matter when we see both Whites and Blacks are capable of corruption and poor leadership?)

[MilennialRising]

Actually Alessandro Machi... public accomodations law means that if a business, a privately owned business, is open to the public then it is illegal to bar admission to someone no matter their race. So Barack Obama was certainly free to enter the place and only the owner has any legal right to refuse him service if he so chose. If another guest chooses to scream and shout at another customer... good business practice would dictate that THAT customer be ejected. The woman's husband was NOT being sexist in counseling his wife to not act out like an unruly child in public but was actually defending her honor and reminding her to act like a respectable adult in public. Something she probably would have remembered herself except she was so blinded by good ol' southern racism and the convenient link to McCain campaign tactics and a daily dose of Rush/Hannity brainwashing that she literally lost control of herself. Barack showed that he neither fears that behavior nor that racism. You go, Barack!

[Julia C]

I just love these people who say they're voting for McCain because they want smaller government. RRRRRRRRight!! McCain, of the Bush mold, which created the largest, most bloated bureaucratic government in recent memory. Oh, by the way -- that's just an excuse. I'm saddened at how much racism there still is in this country, today, in 2008. I wish the South would come out of the 1800s.

[Carrie Ann]

To Red in Raleigh: The Bush administration didn't socialize the banking system. It only socialized the LOSSES -- they're still privatizing the profits, true to form.

[Kate]

It's proof that negative campaigning does work. The "socialist" lies have been spread for only a short time, and here is someone calling Obama a socialist to his face.
Perhaps the Obama camp should play up McCain's adultery. Then you would have church ladies yelling, "Adulterer! Adulterer!"

[Groo]

Paul, I am a tax paying, 'little L' liberal, resident of NC and you're full of dookie. We may send less total tax revenue than NJ, and our per capita revenue is significantly lower, but we're still in the top ten with NJ.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_tax_revenue_by_state

When candidates actually go out into the communities, they meet a cross section of people, not all of whom were raised right, or have any common courtesy. This could have happened in any state of the US.

[Thom Goenkar]

Forgive Me!
Diane Faning, the Church Lady is ignorant, and Obama tried to be nicer to her than the rest. She has no class nor decency how to treat other people.

For yelling on OBAMA she has offended many North Carolininas and I beg forgiveness from OBAMA.

As a Republican, I made up my mind to VOTE for OBAMA.
He is very cool, decent, inteelingent, and capable to navigate this world in the calamity of voodoo economics of BUSH/McCain.

GO OBAMA GO!

[Ashley S]

Does this woman recieve Soical Security benefits?

What a cruel woman. . . believe what you want to, but there is no need to yell out untrue statements. He could have easily sent out an aide to order for him, but he wanted to meet and greet with the people. She is not spreading the word of God very well, maybe she should go back to Sunday school and learn how to treat other human beings with respect!

[Wendy]

These people are truly stupid. They yell out "socialist:" without any understanding of what it means. McCain has given them a new word to add to their limited vocabulary.

I would assume that these socalist hating people have never used and would never use theiir local socalist people force, fiire department or library. And of course, Social Security is completely off the table.

These closed minds will never see the light of day.

[stafford griffiths]

the good thing about all the racist ranting is there is a far greater percentage of white intelligent people who understand the country's dilemma and who will make all the difference on nov 4th.

[Neta]

I was going to vote for Mccain because I am a Republican, but now can someone tell me how can an Obama Elite end up being a Muslim, terrorist, socialist?
Are there Muslim elites?
Are there elite terrorists?
Are there elite socialists?
Mccain told once a confused lady quote: No mam. No mam. He is not an Arab he is a decent family man.
Are there "decent "Arabs in the world?
I guess even Mccain's palling with Palin couldn't figure that out for us Republicans.
But Colin Powell gave the final punch to Mccain and palin. He prove to them that the real power belongs to the truth.
Today begins early voting in my state.
As of today I am a democrat for Obama08.