Ozarks Values '08: Elizabeth Abbott

Residence: Battlefield
Occupation: Retired
Politics: Independent

Elizabeth Abbott is a California native who loved Ronald Reagan, voted for George W. Bush twice, moved to Southwest Missouri and now supports Hillary Clinton for President. Talk about a "swing voter."

"I voted for Bush both times, and it's been a horrible disappointment," Abbott says. She never really fully trusted Bush, but thought he could handle the job, especially after September 11th. By 2004, she was disillusioned and ready to pull the lever for John Kerry. But once she stepped into the voting booth, she says she just couldn't pull the trigger.

"I was all prepared to vote for Kerry, but at the end, I just didn't think he could do it. As it turns out, he probably could've. There was something about changing horses in mid stream that bothered me," Abbott says.

Abbott's "horse" this time is Clinton. The choice, even at times, surprises herself. What is she looking for in her candidate this time? Intelligence. Prudence. Competence. And Humanity. "We spent $400 billion dollars on this war, that could've been used to fix our infrastructure, to cure cancer to provide health insurance. Who's going to benefit from Iraq, even if it were successful?," Abbott asks.

She believes Hillary is the best candidate to turn the country around, even though she concedes many people won't vote for her based on gender. "She talks, she negotiates," Abbott says. But it she has electability problems, why not go with Barack Obama?

"Obama would make a great V.P., and then in 8 years a President. He's a little bit ahead of his game just yet," she says.

She describes herself a "moderate," and certainly is open to voting for Republicans. She liked Fred Thompson -- until he started talking. "Once he stated his views, I said, 'no, I don't think so.'" She also likes John McCain. "But with his strong support of the war, I can't support him," she says.

More locally, she's worried about the economy. She says aid to education should be a top issue in Missouri. "People finish high school now and they don't qualify for jobs anymore, because all the jobs are high-tech. Especially here in Missouri, I see people who don't have the skills, to interview, to work, to get ahead," she says.

She's not yet made up her mind on who is best fit to take up that statewide challenge in 2008. On Matt Blunt: "I'm holding my opinion on the back burner for now. I'm not sure yet if he leans too far right," she says.

A true independent, Abbott remains on her "swing."

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