COVER STORY

Obama and Romney Are Ignoring America's Hardest-Hit Places

Despite the troubled economy, neither President Obama nor Mitt Romney has visited 99 of the 100 counties with the highest unemployment rates. Blame the modern campaign.

Updated: October 26, 2012 | 3:44 p.m.
October 25, 2012 | 10:27 a.m.

No confidence: At the Waverly food pantry, Ray Osborne says he doesn’t believe either candidate can help the fix the economy. (Beth Reinhard)

Opinions about whether the economy has improved under the president largely depend on party labels. “There’s no question things are worse off,” said Jerry Morkassel, 71, drinking coffee on a Sunday morning at McDonald’s. “He’s had four years to change things. The country is in debt more than it’s ever been. The country is more divided than it’s ever been in my lifetime. Why would we give someone more time who hasn’t worked out?”

Morkassel, whose white beard, windbreaker, and baseball cap shielded him from the foggy, brisk morning, credited Republican Gov. John Kasich, not the president, for the state’s falling unemployment rate. “Obama is antibusiness,” said the retired construction supervisor. “He wants government to control everything.”

Ed Jordan, a 65-year-old retired engineer, looked up from the sports section of The Columbus Dispatch. He’s also a Republican. “I’ll just take the lesser of two evils,” he said, referring to Romney. “Washington, D.C., isn’t for America anymore. They screw up everything.”

On the other side of the restaurant, 50-year-old David Dewitt was sitting with a handful of buddies who meet every Sunday morning to place their NASCAR bets. Dewitt runs the city-owned cemetery in Waverly. His wife owns a hair salon. His son plays tuba in the band at Ohio State University—a big deal here. “I think we’re headed in the right direction,” said Dewitt, who heads the local Democratic Party. “We’re just not there yet.”

Across the table was Marlin Ramsey, who worked at a trucking company for 25 years. Before that, he worked at a company that made hydraulic pumps. Like most Pike County adults, he didn’t attend college. He receives Social Security and Medicare; his son teaches physical education at the high school. “I’m part of that 47 percent Romney said was no good,” Ramsey said. “I don’t think he has an interest in low-income or poor people. I think he’s really out of touch.”

Back at the food pantry, Frederick recalled the good old days at Mill’s Pride, where he earned almost $12 an hour. Now he works part-time at a grocery store that pays minimum wage, $7.70 per hour. That’s not nearly enough to support himself, his son, and his daughter who lives with his ex-wife but comes over for meals sometimes. Frederick was hesitant to talk politics at first, but once he got going, he realized he had a lot to say about presidential candidates ignoring Pike County.

“Everyone just talks about the middle class,” he said. “What about the lower class?” Clutching one plastic bag of food in each hand, Frederick stepped out into the autumn chill.

This article appeared in print as "Beyond the Trail."

George E. Condon Jr. contributed

This article appears in the Oct. 27, 2012, edition of National Journal.

Get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox. Sign up for National Journal's morning alert, Wake-Up Call, and afternoon newsletter, The Edge. Subscribe here.


Leave A Comment
The National Journal Group has the right (but not the obligation) to monitor the comments and to remove any materials it deems inappropriate.
Comments powered by Disqus
Follow National Journal
Related Content
Printable Edition
Click here for a printable edition of this week's magazine.
Columns
Josh Kraushaar: Against the Grain

Why Democrats Are Already Jumping Aboard the Hillary Clinton Bandwagon

1:57 p.m.
Claire McCaskill's endorsement was a bow to reality: Democrats don't want to challenge Clinton in 2016.
Charlie Cook: Off to the Races

No Guarantee of a GOP Senate Majority

June 17, 2013
The disproportionate exposure for the chamber’s Democrats is very clear. But can Republicans capitalize on their opportunities?
Ronald Brownstein: Political Connections

Why We Lack Good Privacy Guidelines

June 13, 2013
Technology innovations have served to strip away privacy. They could also be the key to restoring it.
More Columns »
Expert Opinions
Transportation Experts

Hands-Free Won't Cut It

3:22 p.m.

Latest Response by Robert L. Darbelnet: Consider the Opportunity Before Us

Energy Experts

What's the Future of Electric Cars?

June 17, 2013

Latest Response by Phyllis Cuttino: TBD

Energy Experts

What's the Future of Electric Cars?

June 14, 2013

Latest Response by Brigham McCown: Electric Cars and Their Dirty Secret

More Expert Opinions »