By Staff
McCain and Obama’schoices scrutinized
By GREG KATSKI
Staff Writer
One way or another, history will be made in November.
With Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, America is witnessing a changing of the guard.
Come January 2009, the country will either have its first black president or first female vice president.
Area residents have opinions on the candidates.
Residents believe six-term Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, the Democrats’ vice-presidential nominee, provides the foreign-policy experience that Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois does not have. Residents also believe Palin was picked by McCain to win the women’s vote.
Charles Bagley, a retiree from Greenville, believes female voters may be swayed toward the McCain-Palin ticket, sealing the election for McCain.
Palin was recently named chairwoman of the National Governors Association’s Natural Resources Committee, which is charged with pursuing legislation to ensure states’ needs are considered as federal policy is formulated in the areas of agriculture, energy, environmental protection and natural-resource management, according to Alaska’s official Web site.
Although Bagley knows little about Palin, he prefers her to the alternative.
Bagley recently moved to eastern North Carolina from Indiana, but he said he is registered to vote in North Carolina.
In stark contrast, Larry Boyd, a photographer from Washington, thinks that Biden “is a great choice.”
Biden is chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Boyd was also impressed with McCain’s surprise pick.
Boyd, like Bagley, knows but a smidgen about Palin, but he said, “She has charisma, charm and good looks.”
He believes it is obvious that McCain is “going after the women’s vote.”
So does Brett Rowan, a tourist from New York visiting Washington. Rowan was much more disturbed by McCain’s choice, though.
Rowan said that McCain did it to “swing women voters.”
Rowan also said he thinks Biden provides a strong complement to Obama.
At the same time, he questioned Palin’s foreign-policy experience.
Nikki Scruggs, a college student from Leesburg, Va., who was visiting Washington with family members, is encouraged by Biden’s strong values.
Scruggs said she doesn’t know much about Palin, but she is excited that McCain choose a woman as his running mate. That said, she doesn’t think it will swing many female voters.
Beaufort County Commissioner Ed Booth, who attended the Democratic National Convention, just wants unity for the party. He believes that with support from Clinton, the Obama-Biden ticket can win the presidency and vice presidency.
Hannah Latham of Blounts Creek just wants the right man to be picked for the job.
Regardless of the outcome, Scruggs said, “I am excited for November, no matter what.”