The Obama-Voting McCain "Volunteers"

In one of the more entertaining stories of the day the McCain campaign is hiring "volunteers" in Chicago and shipping them to Des Moines to do "volunteer" work. Why go to the expense? Because the "volunteers" are African American and will perhaps influence some others as a result. Of course their McCain enthusiasm is a little suspect when the paid "volunteers" are voting for Obama.

Two women walk out of John McCain’s Mid-West headquarters carrying a pile of voter canvassing sheets, one sports a baseball hat declaring her a “team leader” of the Republican campaign. And both are black — an unusual sight in an election where Barack Obama’s support among African Americans is almost monolithic.

Are they volunteers? They look at each other sheepishly. “Not exactly,” replies one. “We work for an employment agency,” says the other. Who are they voting for? “I don’t want to say,” says the first woman. “Obama — of course!” whispers the braver of the pair.

They laugh, then look over their shoulders at the office behind them. “Don’t give him your name, he’ll put it in the paper,” says the cautious one, explaining that they cannot afford to lose their $10-an-hour (£6) jobs. “This is embarrassing. We’re doing this because we have to live. At least none of our friends can see us. We’re from Chicago — like Obama.”

If the people you're paying aren't voting for you how do you expect people to do it for free?