In case you might not have heard, it’s primary season in Pennsylvania. The good folks at the Inquirer, always eager to gauge the local mood towards Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama, decided to stop by a Philly lunch truck.
The lunch truck of choice? Mike’s Lunch, located on Front and Pattison hard up by by South Philly’ s warehouses and by-the-river factories:
“As for Obama, the Illinois Democrat, a few pollsters suggest that the racial element may influence how this group votes. Sonny Russino, a 47-year-old short-order cook in Mike’s truck who seems heated by something other than his grill, comes close to articulating the argument. “This country isn’t ready for a black president,” he says. “Obama has too much luggage. He is bringing too much of the past - racism and slavery - into the future. And his pastor says bad things about America. “There’s too much of this Afro-American thing in the country these days. Like in the music world, with rap. It seems to me they all want to take charge.”
In the stark world of race and politics, two African American fruit packers have a different reason for eschewing Obama.
Sheila McClain, 47, of Frankford, and Karen Baker Williams, 48, of North Philadelphia, hit Mike’s for lunch and did the “I am woman” thing. “Obama’s too inexperienced,” Williams says. “And a woman’s point of view is better.” “You’re right. She’s OK,” McClain agrees. “Her being a woman, she’ll do a good job.”
“You know, I was holding a Hillary poster getting on a bus the other night,” Williams explains, “and the bus driver says: ‘Don’t you get on this bus holding that. I’ll beat you up.’ “I told him: ‘You try it. I’m still going to vote for this female.’”
Thus, another day of South Philly life was captured by the Inky.
At the lunch truck, taste for the familiar [Inquirer]
[Image via Inquirer]
