Arizona Is <i>Not</i> 'Bush Country'

Kenneth Meyer slid into a booth across from his wife, Barbara, and plopped the front page of The Arizona Republic on the table. There, in big, bold print, was the headline she had not wanted to see: "Bush tops McCain in S.C. Win halts Senator's momentum."

Her face fell, but this was no ordinary frown. This was the look of a John McCain loyalist in John McCain territory with only two days until two more primaries that could decide the future of Arizona's favorite son.

But don't misunderstand. Barbara, a 63-year-old Tucson realtor who has always voted McCain, insists her support has nothing to do with the fact that he's from Arizona.

"I just think he's a better candidate," she said. "I don't like Bush."

The morning after the South Carolina primary, with Tuesday's elections in Arizona and Michigan looming, it was hard to find anyone who did favor the Texas governor at the 5&Diner restaurant in Phoenix.

That might seem like a no-brainer in the state McCain has represented in Congress the past 17 years. However, McCain's underdog quest for the Republican presidential nomination has been a tough battle even on his home turf.

Arizona Gov. Jane Hull and a slew of state senators are supporting Bush, who actually led McCain here in early polling but has since lost ground. Even the hometown newspaper declined to endorse McCain in an editorial Sunday, saying neither he nor Bush stood out as the best choice.

At the 5&Diner, a '50s throwback complete with Coke memorabilia, jukebox and Marilyn Monroe photos, those who planned to vote for McCain on Tuesday said it was less out of loyalty to him than dislike for Bush.

"If he (Bush) had to do anything involved in international politics, he'd foul it up," Nick Carapellese, a telephone repairman and "liberal Republican," said between bites of hash browns and eggs.

The 56-year-old Arizona native said he's choosing McCain in the primary "because he's the lesser of two evils." However, he plans to cross over and vote Democratic in the general election, primarily because he believes Republicans are "anti-union."

His buddy, Jim, a 56-year-old Vietnam veteran who wouldn't give his last name, also plans to vote in Tuesday's primary, which is open only to registered Republicans. His candidate: Mickey Mouse.

"I write in a name," he explained. "I know I'm throwing away a vote, but it doesn't make a difference who you vote for because it's all a good old boy network."

In a nearby booth, Warren Lengfelder and Jack Gabriel voiced a somewhat similar sentiment. Next-door neighbors out for their regular Sunday breakfast, both agreed McCain was their man, primarily because they believe Bush answers to big business, not the American public.

"McCain is a little more independent," said Lengfelder, 79, a retired AT&T technician and a World War II vet. "I think Bush is more inclined to take orders. When the big corporations say jump he'll ask how high."

"That's my sentiment exactly," added Gabriel, 76, also a WWII vet and a former crop duster pilot.

No doubt, Barbara was the most loyal McCain supporter in the bunch. A lifelong Republican who crossed party lines only once to vote for President Kennedy, she said she would consider doing so again if Bush were to win the GOP nomination.

But she hasn't given up on McCain just yet. "I think it's still close enough that Bush is really worried," she said, although she admitted McCain could use all the support he can get, even in Arizona.

Asked whether she believed Arizonans would turn out in force for McCain, her answer was as desperate as the look on her face when she learned the results in South Carolina.
"They'd better."