Joining the Obama pit crew: Junior Johnson
The old Wilkes County moonshiner/NASCAR racer now runs a country ham bidness. He’s for Obama.
Of the McCain campaign, Junior tells us that he, too, ran some “aggressive” races in his day … but the McCain robocalls are over the line. His endorsement is below.
From the Obama campaign.
Dear ______:
My family and I have given this election a lot of thought.Our country is in a rough spot, and we’re going to need some serious change. There’s only one candidate ready to deliver it — and that’s Barack Obama.
Every day I talk to someone else who’s never voted for a Democrat, but now they’re voting for Barack Obama. They realize that Barack understands what we’re going through here in North Carolina. And they’re ready for change.
So I’ve made up my mind, and I’m ready to get involved. I know that I could never have won a race without my pit crew, and I know Barack can’t win this one without us.
Can you sign up to volunteer this last crucial week?
When I talk to folks about why I support Barack, I just tell it like I see it.
There’s been a lot thrown at him this election, and he’s stayed calm, positive, and focused. I know a little something about how important it is to stay cool under pressure.
And with all the dangers in our world today, that’s the kind of rock-solid leadership our country needs.
These days, I run a small country ham and pork skins business. Barack Obama will fight for a fair economy where small businesses like mine have the freedom to grow, and he’ll defend the Second Amendment to protect the hunter’s way of life.
But the most important reasons I’m speaking out for Barack Obama are named Robert and Meredith, my two children. My wife Lisa and I talked it over, and honestly, we know in our gut that their future is more secure if Barack Obama is president.
At the end of the day, there’s just nothing more important than that.
That’s why I’m going to talk to my neighbors this week, and I’m asking you to do the same. This election in North Carolina is going to be one of the closest ever, and we all need to lend a hand.
Join me by volunteering this week:
http://nc.barackobama.com/NC100kHours
I’ve been in a lot of races in my life. But this may be the most important one of all. So let’s all get in gear and win it together.
Yours,
Junior Johnson
P.S. — I know what it means to run an aggressive race, but I also know what it means to compete with integrity. Have you gotten one of these pre-recorded calls that are flooding our state smearing Barack Obama’s character and questioning his patriotism? That’s crossing the line, and North Carolinians deserve better. Help fight back by canvassing this week to tell your neighbors the truth about Barack:
25 Comments
Thanks Jr.! Great letter!
— Meredith 27 October 2008
Coming from someone that ran illegal liquor, was a 5th grade dropout, sandbagged and cheated his WHOLE career whether driving or as a team owner and has an IQ of 70…is this really a surprise?
— D. Pearson 27 October 2008
Sounds like his IQ is higher than yours Pearson.
— Mike 27 October 2008
Well said Pearson
— AW 27 October 2008
Pearson and AW,
Ronald Reagan pardoned him, why can’t you also do the class move and realize he’s risen above his past as a moonshiner? Frankly, if McCain had shown that level of class, he might still be competitive in this race.
Junior Johnson is an American hero. And he doesn’t deserve to have his character attached for choosing to publically declare his support for a presidential candidate.
— Dan 27 October 2008
Ah heck, David Pearson, you never could beat ol JJ, why you gotta hold a grudge and be such a sore loser is beyond understanding.
— cy 27 October 2008
Junoir…In the words of my friend, Fred Sanford, “You Big Dummy!”.
— DitchPig 28 October 2008
Wow! The liberals have now gotten into CENSORSHIP! Nice!
— DitchPig 28 October 2008
[...] Junior Johnson, he of the legendary moonshining and early-NASCAR dominance, has formally endorsed Barack Obama for president. In a mass email, Johnson wrote:Our country is in a rough spot, and we’re going to need [...]
— NASCAR legend endorses Obama. No, really. | Boobs and More 28 October 2008
[...] Junior Johnson, he of the legendary moonshining and early-NASCAR dominance, has formally endorsed Barack Obama for president. In a mass email, Johnson wrote: Our country is in a rough spot, and we’re going to need [...]
— NASCAR legend endorses Obama. No, really. | Hit the skids 28 October 2008
[...] Virginia. I think it should play all across the south. Here’s what Junior Johnson said (source): My family and I have given this election a lot of [...]
— Junior Johnson (”the Last American Hero. Yes!”) endorses Obama | folo 28 October 2008
DitchPig, if you had registered using an actual email address instead of abc@email.com, i could email you personally to say that registering yourself as 3 imaginary people and then creating a conversation between those 3 imaginary people isn’t really what we’re looking for in comments. so yes, i deleted most of them.
Denise Prickett, Indy Editorial Web Director
— Denise Prickett 28 October 2008
This just goes to show you that junior is nothing more that a dumb old man! If he cant see all of the backhanded lies that obama has said. Every time something comes out about him and it is the truth, he just laughs it off and the press lets it die. And as far as the second amendment goes, he dont like guns and if you dont believe that he wont come after yours, then you really are a dumbass!
— Harold H 29 October 2008
You’re the man, Junior! It’s looking like we’re going to have a new president who’s worthy of the office, thanks to good folks like you in North Carolina, bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley up in Virginia, and tens of millions of other Americans who have the good sense and good values to vote Democratic this year, even if they never have before.
— L.B. Dupree 29 October 2008
Don’t worry. I’m sure some of the McCain-Palin supporters in North (or more likely South) Carolina will take a ride over to Junior’s house and business and burn both to the ground.
Got to make that boy remember who he is and where he come from.
— Billy Ray Joe Bob IV 29 October 2008
Personally, I hope they just leave ole’ Junior alone, but I know how those Palmetto types get when they feel wronged.
— Billy Ray Joe Bob IV 29 October 2008
As a white 61 year old resident of and native Southerner (Georgia) - and a big NASCAR fan…. All I have to say is THANK YOU JUNIOR. All of us in the south are not living in fear.
— Bubba John 29 October 2008
[...] ’bout the South these days? Legendary NASCAR racer Junior Johnson NASCAR comes out for Obama. Junior Johnson joins the Obama Pit Crew. Hurray. Ole Junior sent out a fantastic email: “I’ve been in a lot of races in my life. [...]
— Southern Liberal Living » Blog Archive » “Real NASCAR Dad” Junior Johnson 29 October 2008
Thank you very much, Mr. Johnson. I agree 100%.
— Beverly 30 October 2008
Actually Ms. Prickett, it was not ONLY me. It was a REAL (and funny) conversation betwwen me and 2 other REAL individuals. If you had taken time to look at the times entered you could have realized this. We used the fake e-mail address so YOU and YOUR WEBSITE wouldn’t send us a bunch of SPAM!
Thank you for your support. DitchPig for President!
— DitchPig 31 October 2008
I’m a white male, 50 years old. I grew up in Alabama and have lived in the South all my life, including the last 12 years in North Carolina.
I’m voting for Obama, and there are many more just like me who will do the same. The Southern white male demographic is not solidly republican, and I’m glad to see Junior Johnson publicly declare his support for Obama.
— M. Palmer 1 November 2008
Junior Johnson is a American Hero. Junior if you are really thinking about your kids then you should of voted your values. If you believe in abortion, gay rights, socialism and increased tax rates then Obama is your man. I have grown up here in the carolinas, followed racing for 35 years and seen the sport go through many changes. Back when junior was a working man and a loyal husband to a great wife named Flossy the Democrat was a party for the working man. But like nascar things have changed and the democrat party has changed. If you believe in paying higher taxes to support those who collect each month (welfare), and also believe in pushing the church futher away from our schools and country then again vote democrat. Junior If you really cared about your kids and there future you would of voted a total different set of values. Maybe you can blame it on that younger generation wife that you left flossy for. God Bless.
— T. Allen 11 December 2008
We are now approximately 50 days into the `Administration for Change`. We have seen nothing more than gangland style politics. I hope that Junior has the ability to see the err of his ways, and will work to rid us of this `boil` that he helped saddle us with. I too am a white male, and I grew up in Texas so I suppose I am entitled to speak as a southern boy. This guy ( Obama ) is in so far over his head that we will never be able to pull out of the vacum that he and his fellow Democrats have us in. We cannot blame our current mess on Bush, although they will attempt to do just that. Bush didn`t cause the AIG mess, the Dems did. Bush didn`t appoint anyone to his cabinet who `forgot` to pay over $100k in taxes. Bush had a secretary of state who had morals. The list goes on. How much longer can we accept `I didn`t know this person did that`? At some point the American people are going to be forced to WAKE UP !
— Bubba Ray 20 March 2009
Junior Johnson ran moonshine to keep his family afloat. In the grips of the great Depression, and the extremely high taxes place on liquid grain, it was very hard for his families distillery to make any money whatsoever. He dropped out of school in the fifth grade to support his family. Prohibition was not an amendment to regulate a wrong doing of criminals; it was a political action that created criminals. His family was not one of criminals. If you believe that I’m saying all this out of conservative agitprop, I’ll have you know that i voted for Obama. Don’t discredit a man’s integrity because of his political beliefs.
— bobby 29 March 2009
“So let’s all get in gear and win it together.
Yours,
Junior Johnson
P.S. — I know what it means to run an aggressive race, but I also know what it means to compete with integrity. Have you gotten one of these pre-recorded calls that are flooding our state smearing Barack Obama’s character and questioning his patriotism? That’s crossing the line, and North Carolinians deserve better. Help fight back by canvassing this week to tell your neighbors the truth about Barack:”
If it wasn’t bad enough to write an open letter supporting BHO, he HAD to add this little dig at the end. Suddenly, those pre-recorded calls ring clear! I just wonder if, after 4 years of this guy we’ll ever be able regain our superiority in the world, AMERICA is not a Socialist country! I especially loved all the bending over back-wards, forward (bow) promising, forgiving and begging he did at the G-20, and we are not even at 100 days yet.
— Eddie 19 April 2009