Television-watching parties were held around the region during the first presidential debate Friday night, and rallies for and against Obama and his opponent Sen. John McCain are a regular occurrence around Southern California, particularly when each visits the region.
McCain’s vice presidential nominee, Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin, is the first woman to be included on a Republican ticket for the White House, while Democrat Obama is the first black candidate to receive his party’s nomination.
Hoping to capitalize on the excitement is Porto’s, the popular Cuban restaurant with locations in Glendale and Burbank.
But the restaurant has never entered the political fray and is doing so only under the guise that it encourages voter participation, not to sway customers toward one candidate.
“You don’t want to alienate one group or another,” co-owner Betty Porto said.
Still, customers in Glendale and Burbank are beginning to reveal their true political colors. In Glendale, 409 donkey cookies have been sold as of Friday to 279 elephants.
In Burbank, the count is closer, with 219 Democratic cookies sold compared with 168 of the Republican variety.
Porto believes that her restaurant’s cookie poll will mirror a similar result when California’s presidential results are tabulated Nov. 4.
So far, Obama’s lead over McCain in the Porto’s poll represents a greater disparity than the Illinois senator’s actual lead among likely voters in the state.
According to a Sept. 25 Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg survey, Obama leads McCain 49% to 45%.
Porto’s regularly designs cookies and other baked goods for special holiday periods and different seasons.
