Bitter, clingy rural Americans strangely wary of Obama

He has noticed that blacks around Brinkley — many whose families originally came to this region to pick cotton — have a newly emboldened attitude. He’s heard about people cutting in line at the grocery store or “doing a little victory dance at the Kwik Shop.”

Loewer shrugs.

“If he brings us out of this mess we’re in right now, I’ll get out in the street and fist-bump with them,” he says.