Woodford County undecided over US election

8:53am Wednesday 29th October 2008

WITH the eyes of the world fixed firmly on America as the country heads to the polls, reporter Daniel Binns spoke to the residents of Woodford County, Illinois, about the issues that will determine their vote.

Illinois is one of the battleground states that is going to decide who becomes the next president, and right in the heart of it sits Woodford County.

Both Woodford County and Woodford Green have a rich political history - Woodford Green had Churchill as its MP while a young Abraham Lincoln once practiced as a lawyer in Woodford County back in 1841.

Indeed the county’s Eureka College once educated the future president Ronald Reagan, and his memory lives on in the area with a Ronald Reagan ‘Peace Garden’ and museum, complete with bust of the controversial leader.

The county traditionally votes Republican in a state that more often leans towards the Democrats but is proud of its independence.

Dennis Kroll is an professor of engineering and member of the county’s Republican committee. Despite this he is not entirely convinced by John McCain.

“I’m not really attracted to McCain, I rather prefer the more conservative of any two candidates - we have a congressman who is now retiring who was very moderate, but we supported him as he was usually far more conservative than the alternative.”

But he does have praise for McCain’s vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

“Most of us are enthused by her,” he said. “She is a real person and a typical Alaskan. She is the future of conservatives in this country.”

The latest polls suggest that Illinois as a whole is moving firmly into the Obama camp, something which gives hope to Woodford County Democrat Party chairman David McBride.

He recently helped organise a ‘Barbecue for Barack’ event to whip up voters’ support in the county, and said he hoped Mr Obama would unite the country.

"He's very moderate and has stated many times that whoever our president is should support all people," he said.

“And Michelle Obama would make a great first lady. I think anywhere she goes, when the public gets the opportunity to meet her, they are very impressed."

But in Woodford County Mr Obama remains a divisive figure.

James Fyke, pastor of Harristown Christian Church in Woodford County, said: “Without putting too fine a point on it, many of us in this area, and I among them, believe Obama to be a shallow, opportunistic, unthinking, overly-ambitious Chicago-machine politician. He has been found to be wanting in ethics, morals, truthfulness, civic knowledge, vision and experience.

“Do we think him evil? No. Is he a smoke and mirrors flimflam man? Yes, a thousand times yes.

“Though we are, no doubt, country bumpkins who cling to our God and our guns in times of trouble, we are the descendants of brave men and women who fought oppression and bigotry in our own right. We are offended by his and his supporters’ absurd knee-jerk branding as racists who would have voted for him if he were only white.”

But what of Woodford Green?

Unfortunately Dr Kroll was typical of our interviewees.

He said: “I’ve been to England twice but I’m afraid I’ve never heard of it.”

• Are you an American living in Redbridge? We would love to hear from you. Contact Daniel Binns on the newsdesk on 8498 3437 or via email on dbinns@london.newsquest.co.uk