Born In The Usa, Voting In Oz

The Sunday Age

Sunday November 2, 2008

JOHN ELDER

All over Melbourne, ex-pat Americans are deciding between Obama and McCain. John Elder reports.

AFEW weeks ago, a team from the US Democrats turned up at a food store in Moorabbin as part of a voter registration drive for this week's US elections.

"I know they got a few people signed up," says Phil Bertino, dual citizen and owner of USA Foods Melbourne. "As you probably know, it's not compulsory to vote in the States ... It's a big problem because a lot of people think their vote doesn't count, so why bother?

"But this is gonna affect everybody. Not just Americans. With what's happening with the world economy, this is one election we can't afford to get wrong."

Which is why Bertino says he voted - by mail - for Barack Obama.

Bertino's wife, Jeannette, also voted for Obama. It was the first time she had voted in 30 years. She had been excited about this election when Hillary Clinton was still campaigning for the Democrat nomination. "My heart went out of it when Hillary was knocked out. If she was still running, it would be exciting. She'd have my support. Something about her honesty spoke to me, I guess," she says.

Although she voted for Obama, Jeannette says she doesn't have great confidence in the man.

"I just don't get it with the other two ( McCain or Obama), I just don't get it."

So why vote at all? "The ballot was there. I thought, 'Why not?"' she says.

The Bertinos - originally from Brooklyn, New York - have lived in Melbourne since 1993. They sell items such as Dr Pepper's cola and Aunt Jemima's pancake mix to

ex-pats who prefer the way food tastes with a stars-and-stripes flavouring. Usually sweeter.

Trawling through the aisles last Thursday was Anita, originally from Texas. She's been in Australia with her family for 12 years, as dual citizens. She too had hoped Senator Clinton would go all the way to the White House. She smiled whimsically at the thought of it.

"But when you come down to it, all that stuff about the first black man or the first woman, that's not so important any more ... I mean, Obama's gonna win by a landslide for sure and I feel OK about that. What's important is who you can trust to do a good job and I'm pretty confident he will do a good job."

Regarding pressing issues, Anita says: "We have to get out of Iraq and put that money into the country."

One of Mr Bertino's employees, Barbara, says this week's election is about "new hope, especially for young people who have grown up in the shadow of September 11".

"It was awful watching that happen, and it was awful watching what happened to the country ... things changed. I think we were in much better shape nine years ago."

When Bill Clinton was president? "Oh yeah."

Barbara, 39 and originally from California, last visited her family two years ago. She found people were frightened of speaking their mind in public about the direction the country had taken. "The culture's changed. It's become a closed society. You couldn't criticise the government or what was happening with the war ... you could only speak your mind behind closed doors, but that's not the freedom I grew up with.

"I was always very proud that we were a free nation. That's been lost. We've got to get it back and that's what's happening with Barack Obama. This is a really exciting time. I feel good about it."

Not so sure was a woman who didn't want to be named. "I got a lotta business connections here. Too many people know me. Just say I'm a housewife from the Midwest."

This woman hadn't voted as of Thursday. "The ballot form's on the kitchen bench at home. I've been having trouble making up my mind. For me, it's all about who has the experience. That's gotta be the important thing. I'm sort of agonising over the whole thing.

"The problem is, if I want to get my vote counted, I gotta go home and just do it: make up my mind and put it in the post."

Can you say which way you're leaning?

"I haven't told my husband yet so I'm not going to say. But yeah, I think I know which way I've got to go. I don't feel good about it. But I gotta do what I think is the right thing."

© 2008 The Sunday Age

Back to News Index | Back to Home