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DAYTONA BEACH -- Forget the office water cooler, the talk around the icy sidewalk beer bin was heated Friday for Jennifer Brian.
The topic: Do bikers support George W. Bush or John Kerry?
Like a palm tree in North Dakota, the 29-year-old beer-tender stood alone and out of place, roots firmly planted for Kerry as she faced the good-natured ribbing of some Beach Street Bush supporters.
"And they're big tippers," Brian said, laughing. "Now, they're going to quit."
All along the motorcycle-lined streets, no one was wearing his or her politics on a sleeve, cap or T-shirt. But the heated presidential election, a little more than a week away, was simmering just below the surface of Biketoberfest, which runs through Sunday.
"We need to get Bush out of office. We were in Iraq for all the wrong reasons," Brian said. "We've gone downhill the last three years. Millions of jobs have been lost."
"Come on," interjected Leonard Powell, 57, of Ponce Inlet. "If you've got any bucks left in your pockets, it's because of Bush. The Democrats try to get in my pocket too much."
Both Bush and Kerry have openly courted the biker vote. The president last May invited 10 motorcycle-riding supporters in the Rolling Thunder, a veterans group, to the White House. Kerry has appeared atop a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." The show's host is an avid biker.
But it appears few undecided voters exist among bikers. Minds here and in other biker hotspots seem to be made up.
Click here for rest of the article
The topic: Do bikers support George W. Bush or John Kerry?
Like a palm tree in North Dakota, the 29-year-old beer-tender stood alone and out of place, roots firmly planted for Kerry as she faced the good-natured ribbing of some Beach Street Bush supporters.
"And they're big tippers," Brian said, laughing. "Now, they're going to quit."
All along the motorcycle-lined streets, no one was wearing his or her politics on a sleeve, cap or T-shirt. But the heated presidential election, a little more than a week away, was simmering just below the surface of Biketoberfest, which runs through Sunday.
"We need to get Bush out of office. We were in Iraq for all the wrong reasons," Brian said. "We've gone downhill the last three years. Millions of jobs have been lost."
"Come on," interjected Leonard Powell, 57, of Ponce Inlet. "If you've got any bucks left in your pockets, it's because of Bush. The Democrats try to get in my pocket too much."
Both Bush and Kerry have openly courted the biker vote. The president last May invited 10 motorcycle-riding supporters in the Rolling Thunder, a veterans group, to the White House. Kerry has appeared atop a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." The show's host is an avid biker.
But it appears few undecided voters exist among bikers. Minds here and in other biker hotspots seem to be made up.
Click here for rest of the article
