For White Working Class, Obama Rises on Empty Wallets

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Many of Cannon's friends and relatives work in construction. When times were booming, people had cash in their pockets and could afford to vote on issues other than dollars and cents. Now that families are struggling, ideology feels like a luxury — at least, that's the way Cannon described a recent conversation with one of her friends.

"He told me it's not the government's job to handle his health care," Cannon recalled, "and that really made sense to me, really struck home. But when you're working hard and paying taxes and still can't afford insurance — well, government helps with everything else, doesn't it?"

Her next appointment arrived, so she stubbed out her cigarette and invited me inside the salon. As I was walking in, a distinguished older woman named Peggy Simpson was rising from one of the chairs, with her white hair immaculately coiffed. "I was leaning toward McCain," she told me, "until he said the other day that the economy is good." She was referring to a remark the candidate made as the Wall Street crisis was deepening: "The fundamentals of our economy are still strong." McCain quickly revised his statement to refer to the diligence and productivity of U.S. workers, but from what I heard in Missouri, the original remark made a lasting impression on voters. Nothing about the economy feels strong to them. "The main issue is the economy," Simpson continued. "The Republicans always say they are going to lower taxes, but I just don't see how they can do that anymore. My whole life, they've wanted to give more money to the people who already have the fancy, high-paying jobs." And then, as if to assure me that she wasn't an Obamamaniac, she added, "I was for Hillary Clinton."

I wound up spending a long time in the salon, though I didn't have to ask many questions. Just about everyone seemed to have a strong opinion. It was the sort of place where everyone knows one another in a small-town way, and they all talk and laugh and say outrageous things. Renee Martin, the salon's owner, told me she and her husband disagree so strongly, they can't even talk about the election anymore. And that was surprising because at first she was afraid of Obama. "What had me scared," she explained, "was the whole thing about, Was he a Muslim?"

"A President of the United States should not be named Obama," chimed in stylist Gina Gilley.

"But he wasn't even around his father," Martin replied. And she went on: "Then my sister-in-law and my pastor helped me out. They gave me places to go online to learn the truth." Her sister-in-law is so committed to Obama that she has volunteered to knock on doors in her apartment complex. "She ran into two old guys who were for McCain, but all the rest were leaning toward Obama."

Martin paused to focus on her blow-drying, and Mary Champion — whose hair was being blown — took over. "McCain's not out here worrying about the high gas prices and high grocery prices. When he said the economy's strong ..." Champion seemed too irritated to finish the thought.

Of all the strong opinions, though, everyone agreed that the strongest belonged to Teri Peasel, who was busy highlighting the hair of Christy St. Pierre, a second-grade teacher. "I tell you," Peasel said, "I think if the Republicans get it again, we'll have another world war. Honestly, this whole government scares me. I am pro-life, but that's between a woman and her God. I'm voting for Obama, and I think he has a very good chance around here because people are so sick of what's going on."

From the chair, St. Pierre said, "My students are all talking about it, and you know they just reflect what they hear at home. Obama's winning easily." "Absolutely," Peasel answered. "I hear this crap about 'Oh, I ain't voting for a black man.' I say, 'Haven't we evolved?'"

Perhaps we have. And if so, when the story is told, the moral might be that white and black begin to fade when the color that matters is green — the green of money we can no longer count on.