An interview with a "Redneck for Obama"

Obama's supporters are a pretty diverse crowd. Les Spencer, from Raleigh, Missouri, is a good example of some of the less obvious types of people that are backing the Democratic nominee.

BW: What makes you consider yourself a redneck?
LS: I’ll tell you what. I’ve raised hogs, I raised cows, I’ve raised chickens. I’ve always put in a garden. I watch Nascar. I own guns. I fish, hunt. And, I don’t know, I think if that don’t qualify me to be a redneck, I don’t know what the hell would.

BW: And why are you for Obama?
LS: I think he’s the right man for the job. He’s a very intelligent man. He speaks well. He’s well-versed, he’s well educated. And, uh, kind of a fresh thing from what we’ve had for the last seven years. And I think he’s honest, too. I think he’d be a uniter more than a divider. I think he’d unite the country. I think he’d unite the free world. And uh, peoples are gonna get behind him, I think.

BW: And those are ideals that rednecks hold?
LS: This redneck does. You know, I want healthcare, too. The Republicans have had the reign on health care for a long time. They keep talking and harping about free enterprise for health. That we’ve got the best health system in the world and don’t tear it up. Well that’s nice — if you can afford it. But there’s 50-some million people that can’t afford it. The way I see it, and I can’t see where they’ve done one-iota thing.

BW: Anything else you’d like to add?
LS: I don’t guess.

—DRL
Photos by Dana Logan