TAP ran into Karen Brown and Bonnie Tierney on 16th Street in Denver, Colorado. Brown was wearing a Hillary Clinton shirt and a John McCain button. They weren't delegates, but they'd come down from Colorado Springs to bear witness to the convention.
You have a Hillary shirt and a John McCain button.
Karen Brown: She was my first choice. Now I'm going to vote for McCain.
Why?
KB: I don't like Senator Obama. His choices are all wrong. I feel secure with John McCain.
Where do you feel McCain and Hillary have overlap that Obama doesn't?
KB: I feel that Hillary would make me also feel safe as far as terrorism goes while I think Obama would be thinking about it. As he said in an interview, I'll "confront evil." John McCain said I'll "defeat" evil. I feel Hillary would've said the same thing. I want to feel safe here in America.
Who did you vote for in the past few elections?
KB: Bush. I changed from Republican to Democrat for Hillary. Hillary lost, but I'm still a registered Democrat. I'm going to vote for McCain.
Bonnie Tierney: She's a diehard Republican!
Will you also go with McCain?
BT: I am. Thirty-five years I voted Democrat, I'm voting for John McCain. I'd rather have four years of John McCain and the same and have a chance that Hillary will come back and win than have Barack Obama, who talked about change and hope with no substance. I'd just rather have McCain in. I think we have a better chance with McCain on terrorism.
Did you vote for Kerry in 2004?
BT: Yes. I've voted for every Democrat since, well, Nixon when I was 18, but Democrats after that. I'd like to see a McCain-Hillary ticket to tell you the truth. And there's nothing that would please my soul more than to see Obama lose. He's talking about eight years when he hasn't got the four years. When people start nominating Hillary on the floor this week, he may fall off the stage when he sees superdelegates switching to Hillary.
--Ezra Klein
Previous Party People Q&As:
Don Beyer, former Democratic VA gubernatorial candidate
Chris Redfern, Ohio Democratic Party Chair
David Cicilline, Mayor of Providence
Nancy Ruth White, Clinton Delegate
Nancy Keenan, President of NARAL
