“Dreams from My Father” sits on a round table beside his chair.
The pages are slightly ruffled as if it’s been read over and over, and a pink bookmark holds the pages in place.
John “Charles” Doudna, former Baker professor of philosophy and religion, has been reading about presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Doudna, who turned 101 years old last July, wants to learn everything he can about the person he thinks will best lead our country. He wants to make sure he’s making the right decision Tuesday.
“I adopt the same things Obama does,” said Doudna, who is a registered Democrat. “I remember seeing something about Obama before his campaign was started. Now he’s gone on to become a candidate.”
Doudna has voted in more than 19 elections throughout his lifetime, but generally chooses to vote with the Democratic Party.
“My father was always a staunch Republican,” he said. “My sister was three years younger than I am and became a staunch Democrat.”
Over the years, Doudna voted in many memorable elections, including the one between Herbert Hoover, who was at the time the presidential incumbent, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
“We wondered when we would get out of the (Great Depression),” Doudna said. “The New Deal was something that everyone who was a Democrat abided by.”
Doudna voted for Roosevelt, who remains one of his favorite presidents.
“My first favorite is (Abraham) Lincoln, of course,” he said. ” But I think my second or third would be Franklin Delano Roosevelt.”
Some of Doudna’s least favorite presidents aren’t surprising – they mostly are republicans.
He voted for Roosevelt over Hoover and to this day holds a grudge against Richard Nixon.
“I didn’t vote for him,” Doudna said.
Instead, Doudna voted for John F. Kennedy. In the most recent election, Doudna cast his vote for John Kerry.
“I don’t feel like he’s done in his job what needs to be done,” Doudna said of George W. Bush. “I’m sure he’s a well-meaning man, but he’s not aware of what’s needed out of a president.”
Doudna plans to vote with the rest of the Vintage Park residents Tuesday, but until then, he’ll continue to read Obama’s book.
