Your Least Favorite Presidential Candidate?
by Adam Bonislawski
Though we sometimes feel like saying “all of them” to the above question, there are indeed some who are worse than others (Fred Thompson!). But no matter who you like or dislike, we’re definitely going to be seeing a lot of these people up until SuperTuesday on February 5
SAIDI
Where I hailed him: Gramercy
Where he hails from: Yemen
Years as a cabbie: 7
Previous profession: Business owner
Giuliani is my least favorite. He’s just anti-everything. He’s not very optimistic about the country. He’s just running on the fear from 9/11 — he doesn’t have any other arguments or issues. He needs another 9/11 to win. I don’t think he really has a chance to win anyway. He’s definitely my least favorite. To run a superpower? I don’t think so. The candidate I want to win, I can say without any hesitation, is Barack Obama.
HERNANDO
Where I hailed him: Gramercy
Where he hails from: El Salvador
Years as a cabbie: 11
Previous profession: Delivery truck driver
Obama. I don’t want him. I don’t think he’s qualified to be president. I’d never even heard of him until he started showing up in the news all the time. Maybe Mr. Bloomberg would run — he’s been pretty good as mayor. I would vote for him. Not for Mr. Giuliani, though — definitely not him.
FRANCOIS
Where I hailed him: Midtown West
Where he hails from: Haiti
Years as a cabbie: 5
Previous profession: Limo driver
First of all, I’m a Democrat, and I voted a year ago to put the Democrats in power in Congress. But since they took over they haven’t done anything. So I think that this time around I won’t vote. If I change my mind and do decide to vote, though, I would probably vote for Obama. My big problem is with Hillary Clinton. She never stands up to say anything against the powerful people. The one I really feel sorry for is Edwards. If I thought he had a chance to win I would vote for him — 100%.
JOHN
Where I hailed him: Chelsea
Where he hails from: Nigeria
Years as a cabbie: 3
Previous profession: Microbiologist
Ha. My least favorite, huh? I don’t know about that, but my favorite is Hillary Clinton. She has the experience, I think. Giuliani was mayor here, but ever since then what has he done? All he does is say 9/11, 9/11 over and over. I don’t know really that the Republicans have any credible candidates. Most days I work in a microbiology lab in a hospital. The reason I drive a cab one day a week is because my mortgage is too high. I don’t really hear any of the candidates talking about that sort of thing. Clinton mentioned the problems with many of the loans once, and Bush had some sort of plan to stop foreclosures, but other than that...
VERMA
Where I hailed him: Upper West Side
Where he hails from: India
Years as a cabbie: 7
Previous profession: Driven a cab since moving to New York
I can tell you my favorite but not my least favorite. Hillary Clinton is my favorite. She is from here. I feel like I know her well. The others I don’t know as well, so I couldn’t say which of them are my least favorite. Giuliani — he was good in New York, I think, but I don’t think he would be good in charge of the whole country. There’s Huckabee — I don’t know what to think of him. I think a lot of people in New York don’t know much about him, so it’s kind of hard to say. You never know. A few days ago Barack Obama was up and then a few days later it was Hillary Clinton. Anyway, whoever wins needs to help the economy get up again. Right now it’s down — everyone is down.
SAIDI
Where I hailed him: Gramercy
Where he hails from: Yemen
Years as a cabbie: 7
Previous profession: Business owner
Giuliani is my least favorite. He’s just anti-everything. He’s not very optimistic about the country. He’s just running on the fear from 9/11 — he doesn’t have any other arguments or issues. He needs another 9/11 to win. I don’t think he really has a chance to win anyway. He’s definitely my least favorite. To run a superpower? I don’t think so. The candidate I want to win, I can say without any hesitation, is Barack Obama.
HERNANDO
Where I hailed him: Gramercy
Where he hails from: El Salvador
Years as a cabbie: 11
Previous profession: Delivery truck driver
Obama. I don’t want him. I don’t think he’s qualified to be president. I’d never even heard of him until he started showing up in the news all the time. Maybe Mr. Bloomberg would run — he’s been pretty good as mayor. I would vote for him. Not for Mr. Giuliani, though — definitely not him.
FRANCOIS
Where I hailed him: Midtown West
Where he hails from: Haiti
Years as a cabbie: 5
Previous profession: Limo driver
First of all, I’m a Democrat, and I voted a year ago to put the Democrats in power in Congress. But since they took over they haven’t done anything. So I think that this time around I won’t vote. If I change my mind and do decide to vote, though, I would probably vote for Obama. My big problem is with Hillary Clinton. She never stands up to say anything against the powerful people. The one I really feel sorry for is Edwards. If I thought he had a chance to win I would vote for him — 100%.
JOHN
Where I hailed him: Chelsea
Where he hails from: Nigeria
Years as a cabbie: 3
Previous profession: Microbiologist
Ha. My least favorite, huh? I don’t know about that, but my favorite is Hillary Clinton. She has the experience, I think. Giuliani was mayor here, but ever since then what has he done? All he does is say 9/11, 9/11 over and over. I don’t know really that the Republicans have any credible candidates. Most days I work in a microbiology lab in a hospital. The reason I drive a cab one day a week is because my mortgage is too high. I don’t really hear any of the candidates talking about that sort of thing. Clinton mentioned the problems with many of the loans once, and Bush had some sort of plan to stop foreclosures, but other than that...
VERMA
Where I hailed him: Upper West Side
Where he hails from: India
Years as a cabbie: 7
Previous profession: Driven a cab since moving to New York
I can tell you my favorite but not my least favorite. Hillary Clinton is my favorite. She is from here. I feel like I know her well. The others I don’t know as well, so I couldn’t say which of them are my least favorite. Giuliani — he was good in New York, I think, but I don’t think he would be good in charge of the whole country. There’s Huckabee — I don’t know what to think of him. I think a lot of people in New York don’t know much about him, so it’s kind of hard to say. You never know. A few days ago Barack Obama was up and then a few days later it was Hillary Clinton. Anyway, whoever wins needs to help the economy get up again. Right now it’s down — everyone is down.
