Obama Gets Mixed Reception During Visit To North Carolina Diner

The Cape Fear BBQ and Chicken Restaurant. Some powerful and at times ugly interaction today.

12:33 p.m. Sen. Barack Obama entered the barbecue joint where an older and majority white clientele of dozens was eating lunch after church services. At the other end of the restaurant, Diane Fanning, 54, who works at a discount club, began yelling: "Socialist, socialist, socialist -- get out of here!"

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Atomicjim]

What really bothered me was that the minister was not going to vote for Obama because he liked the way McCain would run the war. Here's a guy who's supposed to worship the so-called "Prince of Peace," who seems rather enthusiastic about a war against an Islamic nation.

[SolarPowerGuy]

As I wrote several pages back: "Spot the contradiction." You found it!

[DoTheMath]

"Socialist," huh? Gee, I wonder where she got that idea and that charming hospitality.

[kid5rivers2]

And, like Daniel in the lions' den, he walked out unscathed. Now? Nobody's studying her at all.

[SantaFeStars]

She should hook up with Joe the Plumber!

[Bitsko]

Like the right wing flacks she's worshiped all these years ever did a thing for her. I bet she won't turn down those commie Medicare payments when the time comes. Nor will she be sending back her Social Security checks. The times they are a'changing, madame.

[scorpioleidy]

Whatever happened to southern hospitality?!!!

[Krikkit]

Southern hospitality is reserved for "respectable" people -- another code word for "white" people.

[Kishadawn]

I think its fine to disagree with a politicians policies or views. Where I come from, if someone behaved that way in public we would say they had poor "home training" to make those kinds of remarks and behave in such a way.

I like the other republican's response while she was shouting. He gave her the evil eye and said "Be civil, be courteous". He was not an Obama supporter but he was old school.

I live in Northern VA now, but I went to HS and college in NC. We were raised to never "show out" in public and that there was a polite way to speak to an adult in any situation. This woman obviously felt like the rule didn't apply to Obama.

[ifonlyuknew]

I like the parts in this article that really show that Barack is the bigger and better person for reaching out to her and still asking for the prayers even though he knows they won't vote for him. That's really all Christianity is about. People kill me being so hateful, and judgemental and claim to be Christians in the same breath. You can't hate and claim to be Christian. They want to call him a Muslim , well even if he was which I know he isn't, He'd still be a better Muslim than some of these people who claim to be Christians.

Obama/ Biden 08

[loudyk]

What an embarrassment to our country...this kind of behavior! Once again it is coming from the "Christian" community. Diane Fanning is no Christian....more like a confused pseudo-Christian. How sad.

[Midnightrain]

Is it me, wasn't Joe the plumber used to incite race loyalty? Why so much about Powell?

[Lakshmi0000]

Obama's campaign is for Jobs Baby Jobs!

Obama/Biden 2008

[marijam]

As a resident of North Carolina for these last five years, I'm appalled at the lack of manners shown by the people in the diner.

The socialists are the Republicans with their socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor. It's all been about The Great Risk Shift.

[Progress08]

What do you expect? Stupid people will never get it. This woman was using the word Socialist to supplement the N word. You'd think that a woman who works at a discount club for meager wages would respect Obama's plan, but of course not. Remember in 04 when a Wal-Mart mgr was preaching to his employees about voting for Bush over Kerry? Well come to find out it subtly hinted at in the form of a corporate memo from HQ. Welcome to our democracy, good look surviving.

[Whatashame]

This week they say he's a Socialist. I wonder what next week would be about.

[sisterdebmac]

Suppopsedly, they're gonna back to their old strategy of calling him a Muslim with a crazy, anti-American, anti-white Christian preacher. You know, because that makes such great sense and all. And because that worked so well in the primaries, dontcha know. Is it just me or is the GOP just completely confused about what to do and caving in on itself because of this?

[Krikkit]

They'd go with "Communist!" if the Soviet Union hadn't collapsed. Guess they'll have to stick with "terrorist!" instead. And after that? "Secret Iranian nationalist" or some such other garbage.

[mcjorich]

What is wrong with democratic socialism? Is that bogyman still hunting? Denmark, Sweden and Finland all practice it. Denmark has a 22% tax base and they cover all of their citizens for medical, dental, their children get a free to paid education, housing subsidies for their citizens. They of course don't have as many loopholes in the system and so their corporations and businesses do have to pay their fair share, but they don't even seem to mind all that much, they get value for their money. We have a 35% tax base for business, but having owned a small business I can say with confidence, I never paid very much in taxes, and it was all legal. Big difference between being legal and moral.

We have an 18% tax base for which we get virtually nothing except for wars for some toxic nightmarish empire-building propagated by this administration and rubber stamped by McCain, our infrastructure is falling apart, our children have to become slaves to this economic and educational system, we provide welfare (socialism) for our financial institutions many of who broke the law, render a large portion of our citizens homeless, bankruptcy the only option for medical bills. No help for our citizens... ummm, but let's all pretend the free market system works.

We should all try to go without FEAR and LOATHING for a few seconds, it is very liberating.
But that's just the View from My Trailer Park.
MJ Richards

[Midnightrain]

Socialist is a euphemism for N***.

[mike53]

Once HE is president that won't happen. HIS National Civilian Security Force will take care of people like her.

Obama AKBAR!

[Vurz]

Her taxes going down. Access to medical care when she needs it. A president who not only has read the Constitution but considers it so important that he taught classes about it.

Her life will be much better when Obama is president and the Constitution of the United States of America is once again followed.

I feel sorry for Diane Fanning. She obviously has no manners, but was hoping other people would take up the chant so she could feel part of the crowd. She's 54 and that one moment is going to be a big definer for her. And it's all because of the lack of civility and manners she showed.