Lake City residents split on Obama, McCain, against Sunday alcohol sales

Residents of the city without a lake were fairly evenly divided on their presidential choices, but solidly against a proposal to sell alcohol in restaurants on Sundays.

Tim Smith, 39, has worked for a vending company for 12 years.

“For the first time ever, I’m undecided in the presidential race,” he said as he removed vending equipment from the back of his car. “I don’t really care for Obama too much. He seems to swing whichever way will get him in the door.

“And I really ain’t much for John McCain, either. I mean, after those two, what’s the answer? Nobody else is going to make it. It’s kind of dern if you do and dern if you don’t.”

Smith said it takes him twice as long as usual to do his selling and he’s making half the money he usually makes.

“People aren’t spending, I think they are scared to spend,” he said. “I don’t know what to do and there don’t seem to be any answers coming out.”

But Smith said he remains optimistic.

“Somehow, some way, this economy will pick up,” he said. “We’re Americans and we have made it through tough times before. We’ll come right back out stronger than ever. But it’s going to take some reform, somebody that can do something for us.”

Harold Shokes, 80, is retired from U.S. Customs and the U.S. military. He moved to Lake City from Charleston and brought his accent with him. Shokes was finishing lunch in Prosser’s Restaurant. He said personnel in the family-owned restaurant take good care of him, and he never got such good service in Charleston.

“I’m for McCain all the way because he’s the best candidate there is and also because he’s a war hero,” Shokes said. “He really went through torture. When he got off the airplane once he was released from that POW camp in Vietnam, he was the only one to salute the American flag. That’s a small thing, but it means a lot.”

Shokes said they can keep the Sunday sales of alcohol in Charleston, where it’s been legal and illegal since the beginning of time.

“We don’t want them to be able to sell alcohol here on Sundays,” he said, taking a long sip of Prosser’s famous tea. “People don’t need whiskey that bad. Besides, whiskey don’t do anything but cause wrecks.”
Shokes said the economy is going to come back “because of this bailout and all that stuff. If it don’t come back, we’re
ruined anyway.”

Robin Tisdale, 41, is owner of Ward’s Fish Market. It’s a family-owned market in downtown Lake City with fish so fresh they’re still flapping from being caught.

“I haven’t made my mind up yet on the presidential race,” Tisdale said while perched on a stool. “I think we’re in such a mess that either one who goes in is going to have a hard time straightening it out. I’m leaning more toward Obama because I just like his views on things.”

Tisdale, while ringing up a sale, said, “I’ve heard of the alcohol referendum. I don’t agree with it and will definitely vote against it.”

Tisdale said her business has been affected in a big way by the economy.

“Business has slowed down a lot here,” she said. “People just don’t have the money to do the things they used to do.”

The Rev. Weston Burgess Jr., 63, is pastor of Mount Seal Missionary Baptist Church. He was checking the selections out at Matthew’s Fruit Stand.

Meanwhile, his steed was waiting for him on the street. It was a 1955 Ford pickup that was double-parked with the engine purring and the dual exhausts gurgling. It’s a family heirloom he meticulously restored.

“What I’ve seen so far has been very interesting,” he said. “The two candidates have really gone after each other. Both have said some good things, but I love Obama’s call that ‘it’s time for a change.’ I have to agree with that because of (the) economy and the way things is.”

And while he doesn’t know who is going to win, Burgess said, “I know both are talking about what they’re going to do.”

He said he isn’t familiar with the alcohol referendum, but it wouldn’t make any difference one way or the other because his mind is already made up.

“I would be against selling alcohol on Sunday,” he said. “I’m a Christian and a preacher, so I think it needs to be closed up on Sunday. I think they need to send people to church on Sunday and if they can’t send them, make them think they’re going to send them.”

Thomas McCutcheon, 67, said he’s a Democrat, always will be a Democrat and is voting for Obama. He was wearing a floppy hat and sporting an Abraham Lincoln-style beard.

And he said he’s got better things to do on Sunday than keep up with the alcohol referendum.

“I haven’t kept up with that alcohol thing too much because I’m too busy watching the games and movies on Sunday TV,” he said. “To tell you the truth, I ain’t really into politics that much.”

McCutcheon said he had heard of times this hard before, but this is his first time experiencing them.

“I ain’t worked since 2004,” he said. “I was a taxi driver for 32 years.”

Asked if he still remembers every street in town, he laughed and then quipped, “Well, I’m forgetting them now.”

Clayton Speights, 68, is retired. He was decked in a white baseball-style hat, wearing shades and chewing the fat with McCutcheon.

“I’m all the way for Obama,” he said. “I’m a Democrat and Obama’s my man.”

And, regarding the alcohol vote, Spates said he didn’t know much about it.

“But I do know whether they sell it or not,” he added, “they (are) going to get it if they want it.”

Spates’ take on the economy is forthright.

“Times ain’t changed that much,” he said pushing his hat back on his head and adjusting his shades. “A long time ago, they said times was hard. Well, I think they (are as) hard as a brick now.”

Steve Balton, 60, has mixed feelings on the presidential race. He sees good and bad on both sides.

“I’m pretty well undecided of who I’m going to vote for,” he said. “I’ve been pretty much a Democrat, but I may go the other way.

“I like McCain. I’m a Vietnam veteran and I know he was a POW during the Vietnam war. I’m not saying I’m going to vote for him because of that, but it does carry some weight.”

Balton said he hopes the alcohol referendum is deep sixed.

“I definitely disagree with the liquor referendum,” he said. “I’m a Baptist and we just don’t agree with Sunday alcohol sales. They ought to keep things the way they are.”

Sandra Woodbury, 33, is an emergency medical technician. Her comments were brief because she was in a rush to get into Wal-Mart.

“I’m for John McCain and I’ve never seen the economy this bad before,” she said. “I’m not familiar with the alcohol referendum, but I don’t like drinking on Sundays or selling alcohol period.”

Bill Coker, 72, is retired. He served three years in the Marines and 17 years in the Navy.

“Right now, I hope McCain gets it because I just like him,” Coker said with his wife by his side, asking him if he locked the car. “I’m a retired military man.”

Coker said he will always believe in his country and what it stands for.

“And if that feller (Obama) goes in there as president,” he said, “they’re saying — and I couldn’t prove it if I had to — but they talk like he’s getting a bunch of money and crap out of Saudi Arabia.

“So, you know what that means? I don’t think no president should go in and the United Sates of America owing nobody nothing over there. We give them enough to just hand out, and they ought to quit that junk, too.”

Coker said he hasn’t seen the economy this bad in a long time.

“We’re in a different deal now than when I was coming up,” he said as his wife nudged his arm, a silent signal that it was time to get the show on the road in Wal-Mart. “But I guess people are going to have to learn to grin and bear it until we get out of it.”