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Exit polls show that Barack Obama got 95 percent of the black vote nationwide. But in one mostly white corner of Park Slope, he did even better.
In the micro-neighborhood bounded by Sterling Place, Union Street, Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue, unofficial election night numbers indicate that GOP nominee John McCain got just 11 votes out of nearly 1,000 cast.
It was the biggest Obama landslide in all of Brooklyn. And few were shocked.
“I’m not surprised at all,” said Howard Duffy, an architect who voted for Obama. “This area has a lot of college-educated people, entrepreneurs.”
“All my friends voted for Obama,” added Sarah Blankman, a first-time voter. “On Election Night, it was like Yankee Stadium after the World Series. There were block parties, firecrackers and car horns until 3 am.”
Of course, not everyone was celebrating. Republicans who backed McCain not only lost, but say they feel like an oppressed group — an island of free-thinkers in the middle of a lockstep neighborhood.
“I tell people, ‘I’m Republican,’ and they look at me like they want to shoot me, like I’m Hitler or something,” said Keith, a businessowner. “I see people put Obama buttons on little kids and babies. That’s ridiculous.”
Susanna Rose, whose husband voted for Libertarian candidate Bob Barr, said the mass consensus was a little worrisome.
“People at [my husband’s] office made fun of him,” said Rose. “People here want to promote free thought, but where is the free thought if everyone is for Obama? It’s intimidating.”
But such anti-Obama sentiment is easy to dismiss in a zone where 94 percent of the registered voters are Democrats — a strong liberal base, even though the average household income of $81,000 suggests a possible empathy towards GOP economic policy.
Obama voters said that if Republicans feel bad about the results, well, they should get used to the feeling.
“A lot of Democrats have felt intimidated these past eight years,” said Matt Fried, a freelance writer and comedian. “It feels good to live in a neighborhood that overwhelmingly supports the next president.”
©2008 Community Newspaper Group
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