Pine County

John Jansen is not impressed with either of the major presidential candidates. “It’s a real hard choice,” says Jansen a 63-year-old retired electrician who lives in Pine City. “You’ve got the dumbkopf military clown, McCain. He’s too old.”

That sentiment, coupled with a belief that the No. 1 issue facing the country is providing every American with health insurance, would make Jansen seem like an ideal Barack Obama voter. But he’s actually ruled out voting for the Illinois senator. “Obama is real hard for an individual to vote for,” he says. “Why? Experience and race. I don’t want to sugarcoat it.”