BY KATE KILPATRICK // The shampoos and relaxers were stowed away on Sunday afternoon as Serendipity hair salon (5653 San Pablo Ave.) opened its doors  for a fundraiser, fashion show and voter registration party. “We want to motivate people, help people get where they’re trying to go,” said salon owner Dalila Dynes. “And it’s unanimous where everybody’s trying to go—everybody’s trying to get Barack Obama into office.”

After a series of questions on domestic policy, moderator Bob Schieffer asked both candidates what makes their running mate more qualified than their opponent’s. In his response McCain cited Gov. Palin as a role model to women, a reformer who’s faced down the oil companies, and a breath of fresh air who will sweep out Washington’s old-boy network and cronyism.

“And by the way,” he added, “she also understands special-needs families. She understands that autism is on the rise. That we’ve got to find out what’s causing it, and we’ve got to reach out to these families and … give them the help they need as they raise these very special-needs children. She understands that better than almost any American I know.”

Palin’s youngest son Trig was born last year with Down’s syndrome.

Obama fired back by saying McCain’s support for an across-the-board spending freeze on government programs would make additional funding for autism research unlikely.

Regardless of the political motives that had the candidates talking about it on national TV, autism is a hot topic in the media. Numerous blogs and articles debate the link to vaccinations, and whether autistic children are better served by individual attention or being added to mainstream classrooms.

InEmeryville went to the Blue Sky Family Club at the EmeryBay Public Market and found several moms with strong opinions on the topic. Here’s what they had to say.

McCain supporters found at Emeryville’s historic eatery.
BY KATE KILPATRICK // Gathered around the copper bar at Emeryville’s upscale Townhouse restaurant on Tuesday night were a handful of folks seldom found in these parts: McCain supporters.

The volume on the flatscreen TV above the bar was turned down as Senators John McCain and Barack Obama faced off in the second of three presidential debates before election day.

MSNBC correspondent Tom Brokaw moderated the townhall-style Q&A, which was hosted by Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. The audience of undecided voters joined Internet participants in posing questions on a range of issues from foreign policy and health care to tax reform and—no surprise here—how to fix the economy.

In Emeryville’s previous neighborhood coverage of the TV debates turned up Obama fans in abundance. So much so that we began to wonder where in Emeryville all the McCain supporters were hiding.

“Ninety-five percent of my friends are liberal,” said Bob Blane, a retired engineer and small businessman who’s lived in Emeryville the past 36 years. Blane said he supports abortion rights and gay marriage, but is staunchly pro-business and aligns himself with Republicans on most economic issues.

“I don’t want big government to take care of me. I’ll take care of myself,” said Blane, his cheeks reddening as the bartender refreshed his martini. “I work for private enterprise. I have employees and their families to support.”

Sitting at the end of the bar were coworkers Brooke Grosskopf and Scott Craig, both staying in Emeryville on business.

“I’m from Montana so I’m Republican all the way,” Grosskopf said between bites of asparagus risotto. “It’s been really interesting for me working down here because I have to watch what I say.”

Although she hasn’t been following the election trail “a ton,” Grosskopf said one issue matters to her most. “My husband and I are very pro-gun, so obviously there’s one candidate who’s more pro-gun than the other.”

Craig, a Tennessee native now based in Portland, Ore., said he’d like to see Ron Paul in the White House, but will probably vote for McCain.

Following the closed captioning onscreen, Craig found it hard to tell who won the debate.

“McCain’s body language … he’s gesticulating a lot,” said Craig. “He’s obviously trying to make his point and be very forceful. And Obama appears … Obama’s a great orator. I have no idea if he’s tripping over his tongue, but I don’t think he is. He appears to have an answer for everything.”

A few seats over from Grosskopf and Craig sat Don Jacobs, a Boston native who works at a tech company in Emeryville.

“Such words, words, words,” said Jacobs, holding a slow-roasted beef taco halfway between his plate and mouth. “They all [give] the same scripted answers. I have election frazzle.”

According to Jacobs, the issue of greatest national importance is fiscal responsibility.

“The only reason I’d vote for John McCain right now is to have a mixed government—a Republican in the White House and a Democratic Congress,” he said. “Historically the government does better in terms of fiscal responsibility when you have that dichotomy.”

As the nominees exited the stage and the bar guests settled their bills, Texan-born Ed Gaspredes, a Townhouse regular, was left watching the post-debate analysis alone.

He was unimpressed by what he’d seen.

“Neither candidate addressed anything that has to do with the well-being of me or the country,” Gaspredes said. “If I had the opportunity I would ask, ‘What are you going to do to fix the country?’ It’s far more reaching than Afghanistan or the bailout.”

Gaspredes said he wants a leader who will fix the economy, deal with the Bush legacy, figure out a solution to social security, and appoint Supreme Court justices who support personal rights.

“I don’t know at this point,” he said, when asked whom he plans to vote for. “I don’t know that either of them represent who I want as president.”

EMERYBAY FOOD MARKET

BY ALBA MORA// The cook and the young waiter at the Asian food restaurant looked bored. The clean wok pans indicated there wasn’t much work going on. On Tuesday night, the Emerybay Food Market was emptier than the previous two debates of the election season. In front of one TV screen, a handful of people were eating their dinner of noodles and tempura. When it came to thoughts about the presidential debate, the second of three, no one seemed to have any strong opinions, in fact, many seemed disappointed in what they were watching.

“I felt like it was pretty much the same as they did before,” said Shayla McDaniel when the debate finished. “Nothing surprised me.” McDaniel, an Emeryville resident, came here to watch the past two debates.

Although foreign policy was an issue in the conversation, Senators McCain and Obama spent most of time talking about the economy, the bailout and health care.

“I think everybody knows now we are in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression,” said Obama. “And a lot of you I think are worried about your jobs, your pensions, your retirement accounts, your ability to send your child or your grandchild to college.”

McCain, for his part, said he had a plan that would include promoting energy independence so the United States could stop “sending $700 billion a year to countries that don’t… like us very much. We have to keep Americans’ taxes low. All Americans’ taxes low. Let’s not raise taxes on anybody today.”

Certainly the economy is the center of many Americans’ concerns and a main concern heading into the polls.

“What called my attention was health care and economy… I see my healthcare go up,” said Zeph Biggs, an Oakland resident. “And I believe this election is the most important in the U.S. history.”

But not everyone in the Emerybay Food Market thought the same way. Some 30 people were sitting far away from the screen and showed no interest on the second presidential debate.

“I don’t watch the debate because it distracts me from my real life. It makes you worry about things,” said Matt L., an Emeryville resident who has not registered to vote yet. “They are both [Obama and McCain] saying the same things in different words.”

Matt L. is not the only person feeling disconnected. According to the U.S. Census, one in four Americans are not registered to vote yet. With voter registration deadlines less than a week away in most states, Hollywood celebrities featured on a YouTube video remind people about their right to vote and the need to register soon.

Obama supporters watch the first presidential debate at LoBot gallery in West Oakland.

BY SHALEECE HAAS // At a West Oakland gallery Friday night, Octber 3, two projected images filled the white wall normally reserved for cutting-edge art. One was MSNBC’s broadcast of the first presidential debate of the 2008 election season. The other was a real-time multimedia commentary that played to the sentiments of the boisterous crowd of 20-something hipsters.

When McCain referred to himself as a maverick, a definition popped up beside his talking head: “A maverick is an unbranded range animal, especially a motherless calf. – Wikipedia.” The crowd erupted in cheers. As McCain talked about eliminating earmarks and pork-barrel spending on one screen, photographs of McCain advisors who are also corporate lobbyists appeared on the other.

The commentary originated from a Macintosh computer in the corner of the room under a sign that read, “On-site fact checking!!!” Avery Bloom, 25, a resident artist at LoBot Gallery, was at the controls.

Etosha Terryll, 25, sells cocktails to raise money for the Obama campaign.

“My main participation in this campaign is making sure I’m really well informed,” Bloom said. “I’m a total news junkie and I’m constantly checking the news all day long.”

Bloom is confident that Obama can win the election if his supporters—many of them young urbanites like Bloom—stay motivated. “Obama’s the right man for the job,” Bloom said. “He’s a politician and he’s a damn good one.”

Bloom is not alone in his enthusiasm for the change candidate.

“I’ve never been ignited by someone who was running for office before,” Sabrina Eastman, 29, said. “I’m hungry to know all about what’s going on. I read the news every day.”

Dressed in cut-off denim shorts, blue and black animal print tights and cowboy boots, Eastman delivered a baking sheet of vegetarian empanadas—called “Obamapanadas”—to the concession table at the back of the gallery where another volunteer sold them alongside large red cups of Lagunitas IPA and freshly-mixed whiskey gingers.

Eastman’s enthusiasm for Obama led her to make her first-ever political contribution this year. She donated $25 through the Obama website and also covered the cost of the empanadas for the debate party, which were being sold at $3 apiece to raise money for the campaign.

As she watched the debate, Eastman wrinkled her nose under her black thick-framed “emo” glasses. “Something about McCain is so creepy,” she said. “It’s like he should be wearing a black cloak and claw hands.”

More than 125 Obama supporters gathered at LoBot Gallery to watch the first presidential debate of the 2008 general election.

More than 125 people from throughout the East Bay had come to the gallery to watch the debate. They sat on mismatched chairs, benches and couches in the center of the exhibit space and responded audibly to the interchange between the candidates.

They showed their displeasure for McCain by hissing at his mention of nuclear power and booing when he proposed that tax credits would allow Americans to pay for their own health care. The topics that elicited the most vociferous support included Obama’s proposal for energy independence and his remark that it is time to seek an end to the war in Iraq. When McCain accused Obama of having “the most liberal voting record in the Senate,” the crowd went wild.

“I think Obama is owning McCain right now,” said Troy S., 35, as he watched the candidates. “McCain doesn’t have an answer to anything.” Troy took a swig of his beer. “If Obama doesn’t win, there needs to be a revolution,” Troy said, his eyes fixed on the screen. “Because I don’t know anybody who’s voting for McCain.”

The LoBot gallery will be hosting free debate-watching parties for each of the upcoming presidential debates, as well as for the vice-presidential debate next Thursday. For more information, visit www.lobotgallery.com.