Pennsylvania is the swinger of swing states this American election season, and Scranton PA is at the purple heart of the state. Moreso than most sitcoms, NBC's The Office is integrally wedded to its fictional hometown, with frequent references to Scranton landmarks (e.g., Poor Richard's) and even a successful convention at Scranton earlier this year. It would be interesting to speculate who (or whom?) would the employees of the Scranton branch of Dunder-Mifflin vote for this forthcoming election.
Michael Scott (Steve Carell): Strong Obama (in public, but will vote for McCain). Obama is the transformational and inspirational figure Michael Scott aspires to be. No doubt that Barack's picture is plastered on the wall in many a staff meeting at Dunder-Mifflin Scranton. However, Michael has too often proved a captive of his irrational fears, and all the looming doubts about Obama reside at the back of his mind will probably compel him to vote McCain without telling another soul.
Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson): Strong McCain. Probably has a Vietcong POW fetish (capped with a Ramboesque revenge ending). But apart from that, McCain's military record and conservative persona appeals to Dwight's rugged individualist core, and Obama's uncertain position on gun control frightens Scranton's resident hunter and locavore. And Dwight will be returning the favor to Mr. McCain, who once expressed his desire for a McCain/Schrute ticket in '08.
Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer): Strong Obama. Belongs to Obama's target demographic, and moreover, very into the arts. Women's health and reproductive issues likely vital to her. Charter membership in The Finer Things Club, the closest thing in Scranton to a Maoist cell.
Jim Halpert (John Krasinski): Lean Obama. No compelling reasons for him to vote for McCain, but otherwise rather apathetic. Pam's Obamamania likely to drive him to Obama as well, but might not feel the urge to vote at all unless she dragged him into the voting booth. X-Factor: if any of Jim's close friends are serving over at Iraq and the war is a big issue for him, that may sway him to Obama (or less likely, McCain).
Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak): Lean Obama. Corporate wunderkind would have been Strong McCain up until his arrest for embezzlement. With his subsequent conviction and installment as Dunder-Mifflin's new receptionist, now more sympathetic to traditional Democratic positions on crime and the economy. X-factor: his attraction to women of color may somehow translate to the ballot box.
Andy Bernard (Ed Helms): Strong Obama. The upper-income white Ivy League set leans strongly to Obama, even if many of them stand to see their Bush-era tax cuts revoked. Besides, whither goest Cornell, goest Andy.
Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey): Strong McCain. Is there any doubt? Was Lean McCain until the Palin pick, though his record of marital infidelity did not bother her as much as fellow her Christian conservative women. Abortion likely deal-breaker.
Jan Levinson-Gould (Melora Hardin): Undecided. Previous Republican sympathies torn asunder when her corporate career collapsed into itself like a dying star. Pending discrimination lawsuit leaves her sympathetic to Democratic positions on tort reform, but as a current small business owner, is skeptical about Democrat tax policy. Her fond memories hanging out with Hunter and his band just might push her over to Obama.
Stanley Hudson (Leslie David Baker): Lean Obama. Intensely mistrustful of Obama's youth, slick speech, and Hopey McChangeypants message. But in the end, knows he cannot pass up on the historic nature of voting for the first ever black American president.
Phyllis Lapin Vance (Phyllis Smith): Strong McCain. Republican-leaning but nonetheless sympathetic to the Clintons, Obama's ultimate crushing of Hillary leaves her resolutely for McCain. Support for McCain solidified by the influence of husband Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration. As a victim of crime, favors Republican positions on law and order. As a star of her high school basketball team, was excited by the Sarah Barracuda pick.
Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling): Strong Obama. Thinks Obama is Denzel-hot, and Malia and Sasha as Rudy Huxta-dorable.
Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez): Strong Obama. Perhaps the most liberal of the Dunder-Mifflin crew. Abhors Palin for her Christian right views, anti-gay stances, and general tackiness. A charter member of The Finer Things club (see Pam).
Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner): Strong McCain. First in line for Who's Nailin' Paylin. Finds kinship with fellow gambling devotee McCain.
Meredith Palmer (Kate Flannery): Lean McCain. PUMA. An avid Hillary supporter and admirer of New York Senator's fortitude for vodka, was incensed with Obama's primary victory. Turned off by Barack's goody-two shoes image, more excited by McCain's reckless and "maverick" persona.
Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson): Strong Obama. His previous efforts to unionize the Dunder Mifflin warehouse employees were cruelly thwarted, hopes an Obama presidency would be more labor friendly. Card check an important issue for him.
Toby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein): Strong Obama. Sees his life story embodied in the Democrat's political success of the last 30 years (with Jimmy Carter particularly as a defining role model). A charter member of The Finer Things Club (see Pam and Oscar). His absentee ballot will most likely get lost in the mail.
Creed Bratton (Creed Bratton): Strong Moore. Thought Palin was "some chick [he] nailed in the sixties, but back then, she was known as Zarathusa". In any event, always votes Socialist, the party most sympathetic to the plight of the homeless such as himself.
(Photograph above created by tomdobb and republished under a Creative Commons 3.0 license)
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