The Real News visits a flea market in Austin to find out how people plan to vote
Story Transcript
MATT PALEVSKY, JOURNALIST: This is Matt Palevsky, and I’m deep in the heart of Texas. I’m at a large flea market right outside of Austin, where predominantly immigrant workers come to shop. These are the people with the least say in the upcoming election but perhaps the most at stake.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Did you support a candidate?
STREETER 1: I think that’s going to be Clinton.
PALEVSKY: Would you support Obama if he wins the nominee?
STREETER 1: Yes, because I think he can do it too. But I prefer her. I don’t know.
PALEVSKY: Would you support McCain?
STREETER 1: No, no, no, no. No, no. We need a change.
~~~
STREETER 2: They can come over here and all that, but they don’t do nothing. So I don’t know if Hillary or the other one, they’re going to win.
~~~
STREETER 3: Obama.
PALEVSKY: Obama *[crosstalk]
STREETER 3: *Of course.
PALEVSKY: Why so?
STREETER 3: Why? ‘Cause he’s the guy.
PALEVSKY: ‘Cause he’s the guy?
STREETER 3: He’s the guy. He seems to know what he’s saying.
PALEVSKY: But he supports building a fence.
STREETER 3: Building what? A fence?
PALEVSKY: Yeah.
STREETER 3: Let him build a fence if he wants. As long as he can do some reform the economy, that’s the most important thing, you know? The economy is okay, we’re all okay.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Who are you planning to vote for?
STREETER 4: I’m still waiting. So far I haven’t found anybody that’s going to do it. Thirty to forty years ago, the only people that came here were the workers, the guys who came in here to do jobs that nobody else wanted to do. But it’s not that way now. Now women, kids, everybody. Our schools are being flooded. You can walk through this flea market and you will see every one family, there will be five, six kids.
~~~
STREETER 5: This nation was built on immigrants.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Living in a border state, do you have a strong opinion about immigration?
STREETER 6: If they’re here, they’re working, just pay the taxes. I don’t care if they’re here or not.
PALEVSKY: And are you worried about an upcoming recession?
STREETER 6: No.
PALEVSKY: The economy?
STREETER 6: Not a bit. No. I think that’s all hoo—you know, that’s all hooey. I’m more Republican than I am Democrat. But I really do want Hillary to win.
~~~
STREETER 7: Obama.
PALEVSKY: Why Obama?
STREETER 7: Well, he has different views, and he’s trying to bring about the city for change. Well, not just the city, but the whole country.
PALEVSKY: Is there an area of interest that—.
STREETER 7: Yeah, my area of interest is health care for everybody.
PALEVSKY: And you know Hillary Clinton wants universal health care. And you—.
STREETER 7: So she says.
PALEVSKY: You don’t think she can provide it?
STREETER 7: No.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Who do you think would be the best candidate?
STREETER 5: I think Ms. Clinton would be.
PALEVSKY: Why Hillary Clinton?
STREETER 5: You know, I honestly can’t answer that. I watched the Texas debates, and I came out totally confused why we have two so-great people all at one time to choose from when—pardon the expression—we’ve had nothing for so long.
~~~
STREETER 8: John McCain, because he’s the only one who’ll keep the country safe.
PALEVSKY: Why would he keep the country safe?
STREETER 8: Because you’ve got to be ready to shoot back at people, and Obama and Hillary, neither one of them want to shoot.
PALEVSKY: Shoot back at who?
STREETER 8: Shoot back at people that are shooting at us. And if somebody comes up and shoots you, shoots at you, what are you going to do? [inaudible]
PALEVSKY: In my own country, if someone comes and shoots at me, invading Iraq’s not going to help, right?
STREETER 8: Interview’s over.
DISCLAIMER:
Please note that TRNN transcripts are typed from a recording of the program; The Real News Network cannot guarantee their complete accuracy.
Story Transcript
MATT PALEVSKY, JOURNALIST: This is Matt Palevsky, and I’m deep in the heart of Texas. I’m at a large flea market right outside of Austin, where predominantly immigrant workers come to shop. These are the people with the least say in the upcoming election but perhaps the most at stake.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Did you support a candidate?
STREETER 1: I think that’s going to be Clinton.
PALEVSKY: Would you support Obama if he wins the nominee?
STREETER 1: Yes, because I think he can do it too. But I prefer her. I don’t know.
PALEVSKY: Would you support McCain?
STREETER 1: No, no, no, no. No, no. We need a change.
~~~
STREETER 2: They can come over here and all that, but they don’t do nothing. So I don’t know if Hillary or the other one, they’re going to win.
~~~
STREETER 3: Obama.
PALEVSKY: Obama *[crosstalk]
STREETER 3: *Of course.
PALEVSKY: Why so?
STREETER 3: Why? ‘Cause he’s the guy.
PALEVSKY: ‘Cause he’s the guy?
STREETER 3: He’s the guy. He seems to know what he’s saying.
PALEVSKY: But he supports building a fence.
STREETER 3: Building what? A fence?
PALEVSKY: Yeah.
STREETER 3: Let him build a fence if he wants. As long as he can do some reform the economy, that’s the most important thing, you know? The economy is okay, we’re all okay.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Who are you planning to vote for?
STREETER 4: I’m still waiting. So far I haven’t found anybody that’s going to do it. Thirty to forty years ago, the only people that came here were the workers, the guys who came in here to do jobs that nobody else wanted to do. But it’s not that way now. Now women, kids, everybody. Our schools are being flooded. You can walk through this flea market and you will see every one family, there will be five, six kids.
~~~
STREETER 5: This nation was built on immigrants.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Living in a border state, do you have a strong opinion about immigration?
STREETER 6: If they’re here, they’re working, just pay the taxes. I don’t care if they’re here or not.
PALEVSKY: And are you worried about an upcoming recession?
STREETER 6: No.
PALEVSKY: The economy?
STREETER 6: Not a bit. No. I think that’s all hoo—you know, that’s all hooey. I’m more Republican than I am Democrat. But I really do want Hillary to win.
~~~
STREETER 7: Obama.
PALEVSKY: Why Obama?
STREETER 7: Well, he has different views, and he’s trying to bring about the city for change. Well, not just the city, but the whole country.
PALEVSKY: Is there an area of interest that—.
STREETER 7: Yeah, my area of interest is health care for everybody.
PALEVSKY: And you know Hillary Clinton wants universal health care. And you—.
STREETER 7: So she says.
PALEVSKY: You don’t think she can provide it?
STREETER 7: No.
~~~
PALEVSKY: Who do you think would be the best candidate?
STREETER 5: I think Ms. Clinton would be.
PALEVSKY: Why Hillary Clinton?
STREETER 5: You know, I honestly can’t answer that. I watched the Texas debates, and I came out totally confused why we have two so-great people all at one time to choose from when—pardon the expression—we’ve had nothing for so long.
~~~
STREETER 8: John McCain, because he’s the only one who’ll keep the country safe.
PALEVSKY: Why would he keep the country safe?
STREETER 8: Because you’ve got to be ready to shoot back at people, and Obama and Hillary, neither one of them want to shoot.
PALEVSKY: Shoot back at who?
STREETER 8: Shoot back at people that are shooting at us. And if somebody comes up and shoots you, shoots at you, what are you going to do? [inaudible]
PALEVSKY: In my own country, if someone comes and shoots at me, invading Iraq’s not going to help, right?
STREETER 8: Interview’s over.
DISCLAIMER:
Please note that TRNN transcripts are typed from a recording of the program; The Real News Network cannot guarantee their complete accuracy.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
