Regular Welsh Folk Dumbfounded By Palin, Support Obama

"For decades I prayed for a woman Prime Minister, then we got Margaret Thatcher," said Sam(antha) dismissively at a local village store, "this woman [Sarah Palin] scares me."

Here in the village of Monknash, 38-residents strong and sitting high above the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, is a microcosm of rural Great Britain. The Plough and Harrow pub was built in 1383 from stone and timbres of ships deliberately crashed on the rocks below. Landowners tied lanterns to sheep necks to confuse sailors and many believe the pub to be haunted since shipwreck bodies were stored in the bar until coffins could be made. There is not a better place on earth to discuss the most exciting election in American political history.

I sat with several locals over a pint of Thatcher's Black Rat Ale. The only Yank in the village, I've gained only slight acceptance as the outsider. Sitting next to me is an antique business owner who prefers to remain anonymous. He's "fed up with all government" and will vote for change in the UK... for the Conservatives. He would not give his choice for the American race but did say, "Gordon Brown is a good enough guy but just unlucky being PM at this time" and seemed to think Americans will vote for a change from Bush's party.

Twenty-three-year-old bartender Alistair is a tiny bit more outspoken. He holds little respect for politicians calling them "two-faced" and "not trustworthy." We talked about how young people in the USA seem more involved than in the past and yet here not many become involved. "It's the UK way," he said, he and a colleague could only think of one young guy ahead of him in class who was a member of the Conservative Party but most have no interest.

He says he reads all of the pub's newspapers and finds "I can relate to Barack Obama he seems to speak a bit more from the heart" while McCain seems "to go strictly by the book. You cannot figure out who he is and how he's different."

Now anyone new in this village is greeted with skepticism and suspicion. While walking to the beach one morning I met a neighbor. Mentioning that I lived in the farm on the hill, this woman whom I'd never before met replied, "yes, I know..." After five years of mostly keeping to ourselves, things have improved.

A few weeks ago, Gayle, a South African transplant, was initially suspicious of Obama, and with the history of her country, one could understand having grown up in the apartheid regime. To her credit though, as I talked about the campaign periodically, she went out and bought a copy of Obama's book.

She said yesterday, "I was very impressed with his story and what I've been seeing more since you and I started talking." She was less impressed though, mostly because she had no frame of reference, with all of the Chicago stories. When I asked hypothetically who she would favor if she could vote, her answer was, "clearly Obama, the old guy is just scary."

Said Alistair, "politicians have lost touch, they seem so far away." When I asked him who he favored in the election, he said, "Obama. He seems to have stronger character than the old guy." But then he added, "what do I know, I work, make sure I have my [cell] phone topped up and surf as much as I can."

I tried to get a finger on the pulse of the community so I asked Gareth, known as Miv, the pub's owner. In an earlier phone conversation, he said simply, "no one here can understand the choice of Palin as VP." I assured him it was a mystery to us as well.

But it was Philippa, a local recruiting business owner, who summed it up best, "to be honest the whole thing has just been bizarre, the behavior of calling each other piggies and things? It's just bizarre, I just don't understand it. It's all so peculiar."

So that's the definitive word from Old South Wales. I've got the next round, Cheers.

Comments

[sarah27]

love it :) I'm an irish welsh american who can vote, and i don't get it either. glad to see my genetic family agrees with me.

[XME]

A lot of us are dumbounded and terrified...they're just lucky there's no chance she'll ever be in charge of their country!

[maikonen]

Americans should fasten their seat belts; this ride will be bumpy...A woman who for the first time left the US at age 43, who has trouble keeping her own household on the straight and narrow, is going to hold in her hands the "nukular" codes. Frightening indeed.

[HelloooCanada]

travelled around england and wales earlier this year. our experience (simplified, of course) was that the labour folks were obamians and the conservatives were... wait for it... hillary supporters. they thought she would be a tough president, while the obama supporters were war weary. no one we talked to seem to like any of the republicans - particularly mccain - and most everyone rolled their eyes (literally) at the mention of gordon brown.

interestingly to us, we couldn't escape the conversations, the brits really wanted to talk about the war and the election with us.

[vietnamvetforobama]

My wife was born in Wales and still has relatives who live there. Her uncle called from Newport, Wales, just this past weekend, wondering why so many Americans support McCain- Palin. He said the Welsh, as most of the British, are pulling for Obama. They seem to understand, better than Americans, that McCain will continue the same failed policies of Bush. Bush has failed not only the US but the entire world. Many of the British, he said ,believe that Americans are simply not prepared to vote for an African- American. It will be a shame if this country cannot elect the best candidate because we are blinded by race.

Go Obama- Biden

[SuZy0925]

Saying that Palin is better than Thatcher is not saying much!!!!

[westreal]

I googled Glamorgan Heritage Coast and the pictures are stunning. Lovely town.

[BADEN]

Fascinating!

Thank you so much.
I love the pragmatism!

[remc]

Thanks, Denis - I've always loved Wales and the Welsh - seems like my regard was not misplaced. I'd be grateful for any tips on how to emigrate there if the unthinkable happens and McCain/Palin win the election.

Go Obama/Biden!

[Travellini]

Excellent post, Dennis - GAD - what a lovely group at the pub. Tell them we're doing our best, but even through we stand armed with our wits, the GOP brings a quiver of spitwads.

[tigs]

i am from south wales origionally, and most of wales apparently believe palins appointment is more than bizarre ,it is down right irresponsible on the part of mc cain, he probably wont care if he leaves the country with palin as president,but the rest of the world are beyond "scared". if palin needed her husbands help to run the office of governor,who's help will she need to run america, rove and cheyney, thats who , so more of the same .

[crazecoyote]

Keep it up Denis. Thanks for the in depth coverage and critical eye Vladimus Post turns on our election year activity.

[terramartom]

Keep educating the population here are there because that is how the World needs to move forward. Todays Republican Party relys on complete ignorance, and false Nationalism. The Republicans now stand for fanatical Religious greed, intolerance, bigotry, fear and hate!

[hypnotoad72]

Have them go back and watch some more "Torchwood".

If nothing else, I rank Ms Palin more highly than Thatcher, to say the least...

[grfurr]

Denis as always interesting, and well written. I value your opinion, and living in Canada, your stories give me yet another outlook on the world. It always amazes me how things can effect people in so many different ways. Keep up the good work, all of you, at Vladimus Post, and I look forward to reading more of your articles here on The Huffington Post.

[XME]

Who's to say, considering how very little we actually know about Palin. Given the power (VP to possibly P if something happened to McCain), I'd bet she has the potential to be pretty darn terrible!