More cowbell in the 19th Ward
The brouhaha earlier at 4th and York did not keep voters or campaign workers at bay. Those involved in the melee, other than incumbent Angel Cruz and some of his friends, milled about the four corners of this "hot spot" intersection. Pedro Vega, the neighborhood resident involved in the afternoon rumble, brought his small boom box out to the street, trailing a long orange power cord. He danced and played a cowbell along with the salsa music and some Beyonce tunes.
More cowbell in the 19th Ward
Regina Medina reports:
The brouhaha earlier at 4th and York did not keep voters or campaign workers at bay. Those involved in the melee, other than incumbent Angel Cruz and some of his friends, milled about the four corners of this "hot spot" intersection. Pedro Vega, the neighborhood resident involved in the afternoon rumble, brought his small boom box out to the street, trailing a long orange power cord. He danced and played a cowbell along with the salsa music and some Beyonce tunes.
On each corner, the respective parties held court. The Ramos volunteers (white shirts with red letters) and Cruz volunteers (blue letters) chit-chatted among themselves, often grabbing soda and snacks from the China House takeout restaurant and deli. The rumbles of motorcycles, dirt bikes and four-wheelers through the streets droned on throughout the afternoon.
Legal teams from both the Obama and Clinton campaigns visited the polling place, John Welsh Public School, and were quick assure an inquisitive reporter that "We can't talk to the press."
More than a few times this afternoon, large SUVs with Angel Cruz placards and tinted windows passed through the intersection, blasting "Press 15 for Angel Cruz." The Cruz volunteers cheered.
A few blocks away at 5th and Lehigh, Clinton-love was very apparent. A woman wearing a Hillary mask and red top and shorts danced in the median to a salsa ditty blasted from Centro Musica, a popular local latino record store. She held a placard and signs including one that read, "This is Clinton Country."
They knew how to boogie. Team Obama - all three of them - seemingly did not. But how could they sway to such pro-Hillary lyrics as "Votare por ti, tu sabes que lo Hare" (I will vote for you, you know that I will), or "Gonna vote for Hill, let me hear you say I will!"?
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Thomas Fitzgerald joined The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2000, and has covered Harrisburg as well as city, state and national politics for the newspaper. He was a “boy on the bus” in the 2004 presidential campaign and during primary contests in 2000 and 1996.
Nathan Gorenstein has covered politics and government in the city, state and nation for the Inquirer. He's worked in the city hall bureau, had a stint on the business desk, and once covered the suburbs. After serving as assistant regional editor, he was named editor of the "Politics" web site.
