Local folks divulge what they'd share with presidential candidates

If the presidential candidates wandered into the Dundee Township Senior Center to shake hands and ask for votes, they'd have some explaining to do.

Like everyone, the residents want to know how the Republicans and Democrats plan to solve the country's problems if elected.

But these voters aren't like everyone.

Some have watched and voted in national and local elections for more than 50 years. And if the answers they get are vague or sugar-coated, they would tell the candidates.

Elgin resident Karen Murray will tell them they are full of baloney if they continue, "talking and not saying anything."

"I want more details on (GOP candidate Rudy) Giuliani," she said. "I'd asked (U.S. Sen. and Democrat) Barack Obama to be more specific on what he has done since he was elected."

The candidates have been crisscrossing the county to grab votes in Iowa, Michigan and New Hampshire for primaries and caucuses. And in a couple weeks, they'll stop in Illinois for the Feb. 5 primary.

If U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, a Democrat serving New York, crossed paths with Murray she'd get a handshake.

"Yes, I would shake her hand. I'd say, 'Good for you. I'm not going to vote for you because I'm a Republican,' " she said. "But I'd say, 'Good for you.' "

Those words would be kinder than the ones West Dundee resident Peder Gromset would speak.

"I would ask them if they plan to keep their promise on putting better controls on corporations," he said. "Corporations are into everything now. If they donate $100 million to a campaign you better be sure they will want more than $100 million in special treatment back."

That includes large media corporations oil, companies and any industry that hires lobbyists to seek favors on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.

East Dundee resident Allen Avallone would tell Obama to get back to Washington and do the job people elected him to do in the Senate. Since he's announced his candidacy, he hasn't paid attention to Illinois issues, he said.

And he would tell the other candidates that no matter who is elected to give Illinois another Senate seat because incumbent Dick Durbin is not doing his job either.

"We don't have anyone representing us. Why isn't someone in Washington telling people in Springfield to get this (state) budget mess fixed?" he asked.

And if Obama stopped to speak with Carpentersville resident Anna Gilbert at the senior center, he would hear he is too inexperienced to run for president.

"It's a shame he didn't wait another four years to run for president because he would be in like Flynn," she said. "He's a smart man but it's too soon for him to run."

As for Clinton: "I would tell her I hope you're going to be our next president."