Obama Enters Enemy Territory: West Virginia

Los Angeles Times:

In Hardy County, Democrats outnumber Republicans more than 2 to 1. But there is little enthusiasm for Barack Obama in this mountainside enclave, a portent of trouble for the Illinois senator in next week's West Virginia primary and the general election beyond.

Nearly 97% white, the county is as conflicted as any rural and working-class Democratic bastion as it struggles to adjust to the likely prospect of the party nominating its first African American presidential candidate.

Read the whole story: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Yatata]

They should run an ad about the responsibility each citizen has to be an informed voter. i'm picturing a person (representing your average voter) blindfolded and holding a gun aimed unsteadily at a target. the camera pans out revealing a child standing next to the target and the caption reads something about how we are playing russian roulette with our children's future if we do not take the time to properly research the candidates based on voting record and merit rather than distractions like gender or race; and how it's their patriotic duty to vote informed, then it could provide links to some well known non-partisan websites like votesmart.org and the library of congress.

i don't think enough people fully understand the gravity of an uninformed vote, or take enough responsibility to avoid an uninformed vote, especially during these dire times.

[RNdaSilva]

Very well said.

Sad to say, based on some ot the comments below, there are still too many uninformed voters and bigots and racists still exist. One of these days...

[Raisean]

That's a great idea the only problem is that these people are so ignorant that it would never fly. They're just too closed-minded, it would just be a lost cause and a waste of money... I hate it but it's true. You can't fix bigotry.

[margi]

Obama was not supposed to win WV, but who knows, this time around maybe West virginians will surprise us all and vote for the issues and not for or against the color of any candidate's skin

Idaho: Obama 79 Clinton 17

Nebraska: Obama 68 Clinton 32

Washington: Obama 68 Clinton 31

Hawaii Obama 76 Clinton 24

Kansas Obama 74 Clinton 26

Minnesota Obama 67 Clinton 32

No candidate can win every state, and all candidates take a shellacking at some point, even the eventual nominee.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

Idaho in NOV: Red
Nebraska in NOV: Red
Kansas in NOV: Red
Minnesota in NOV: Red (thanks to Al Franken)

anymore states like New York that will go to McCain?

[TroubleNYC]

Evidence that this man ^^^ has no life.

[IslandGyal]

IF we are to buy your premise, why should Democrats bother with WVA & KY?

WVA ***RED*** in 2000 & 2004

KENTUCKY ***RED*** in 2000 & 2004

[jupitor]

oh no, your talking to someone from Nebraska, and we were excited about Obama, and still are. We have three university's here now, counting kearney. that means a lot of young folk for the first time. were not steep in black folk, so Obama got a lot of white folks here who voted for him! So, w. virginia might surprise us, but I really doubt it. But than they won't be voteing for Hillary you see! There good ol boys in the next two states and they will be voteing for Bill Clinton, not Hillary. they could care less about her, as lokng as they get their good ol boy back again. I don't think he'll do much better than 30% if that. But we all knew that in the first place! But Hillary will have another hey day, she can scream about her poor white folk who vote for her!

[TroubleNYC]

People are saying that to win the presidency WV must be won. Dukakis won WV.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

George Obama Dukakis... please Obama find a tank you can get a photo op in!

[Veman]

Ivy league educated and intelligent (not always synonymous - see GWB) - personable - multicultural - well traveled - handsome - extraordinarily successful - and . . . black man (if you apply the ever popular "one drop rule"). Can anyone name me one thing more threatening to the psyche of the typical, southern, American, white male ? . . . I can . ..

An Ivy league educated and intelligent (not always synonymous - see GWB) - personable - multicultural - well traveled - handsome - extraordinarily successful - and . . . black man (if you apply the ever popular "one drop rule") who is running for he US presidency!!

[tempus]

In love; so in love.

[Veman]

hang on . .. "in love"? do u really mean to tell me that your typical southern white male who harbors some, at least latent, sense of superiority based strictly on his white heritage isnt threatened by black men who've achieved higher "status" in American society?

"Know your place, boy! Don't go oversteppin' your bounds!"

[CocteausTwin]

God I hope I am not atypical. I am Caucasian and so looking forward to the Administration of our next President of the United States of America, Obama.

We Tar Heels helped put him there and we are very proud of him!!!

[IslandGyal]

I am a Black female with several White male friends; one Harvard educated; one Boston College and one possibly high school; they all are voting for Obama 08!

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

Note to West Virginia and Kentucky voters...

Illinois is under mob rule out of Chicago (the home of Modern Political Corruption). If Springfield (State Capital) had it there way they would ban all guns like they have done in Cook County. Obama was for the Gas Tax (in his state). Corn is a major export of Illinois (like coal) however the Lake Shore Liberals run that state (into the ground). Unless you know how to stop coal mining and plant corn in those mountains vote Hillary for now but go for McCain in the fall.

Operation Chaos lives on!

[dumboldfarmer]

Obviously you are not familiar with Illinois or Indiana or any bordering states. It shows.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

I know how it feels to have a region of your state set the agenda for everybody. I'm from Buffalo that is 8 hours from New York City. Come to upstate New York and its like night and day.

[debwarot]

"Illinois is under mob rule out of Chicago" ..........­..........­.. Sounds like someone has been watching old reeruns of 'The Untouchables'

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

Mob Rule not like Mafia Rule silly... to win a state wide election in Illinois you must win the Peoples Republic of Chicago (Cook County).

[IslandGyal]

TheJibreel­aMonsters,
ROTFLMBAO, comic relief on HuffPost here on my birthday, thanks!

[Krikkit]

I voted early -- for Obama.

Coal is no longer a major employer due to automation, but it is still a primary source of revenue for WV. We won't give it up easily, and certainly not without a source of revenue replacement. We're working on that, thank you very much. Go tend your own garden.

[TrueIndy08]

I surely hope I don't see a HUGE victory party after this one with Hillary screaming that WV revived her campaign and that bc of this voctory she is now more electable!!!

I would just laugh laugh laugh!!!!

[dumboldfarmer]

Note to West Virginia and Kentucky voters:
- In Illinois, they still have their guns. They hunt, too, you know?
- Illinois also knows that dumb summer gas tax won't work. They tried it. It didn't work.
- Barack Obama is not a Muslim, regardless of what you may have heard.
- Obama is not a terrorist, either, regardless of what you may have heard.
Don't judge the candidates either by their color or gender. Vote for the one that will work hard for you, not for Washington. Check their voting records, both state and national. Then, compare what they say they have done with what they actually have done.

[Krikkit]

Don't try to teach your grandma to suck eggs, child. We're not as ignorant here in WV as your prejudice and media spin have led you to believe.

I voted early for Obama. Some of us will vote for Obama, some for Hillary. That's our business, not yours.

[08timefortruth]

It is to bad that Obama supporters do not aspire to his level. I'm pretty sure he would find comments like "white trash", "inbred", "dueling banjo country" offensive, unkind and unfair.

One of the things I admire about Mr. Obama is his ability to inspire people to be better human beings, some of you need to get onboard.

Regardless of what you think or what West Virginians think this is still the United States of America and WV and KY were still a part of it last time I checked a map.

The hateful comments made here and elsewhere on the web do nothing to unite us, those comments divide us and threaten our common goal of a better America with Mr. Obama for President.

If Obama hopes to get more supporters and win the general his supporters need to stop trashing others.

[iLogos]

Thank you.

[rzan]

I completely agree.

[ema]

Not to mention the hateful headline. Is Huffington a trojan horse?

[Raisean]

Okay... I agree with you on that, but shouldn't it be the other way around as well? Think about it! It's not just Obama supporters being nasty. Did you even read the article? Those people are grossly ignorant, and if you agree with their statements then maybe you should reexamine yourself..­. I'm all for change... But the first change has got to be that racism out in those areas. I was born in Bluefield WV, I grew up there, I know what that area is like and it's no cake walk for people like me. They talk down to you; they look at you like you were nothing; they run families out of their homes, they're stuck in a time warp with no way out. I cry for my fellow West Virginians because they don't know any better, nor do they want to. That's a real problem.

[Krikkit]

Thank you!

[Anonani]

What year is this? Surely not 2008! I must be dreaming and this is retro 1960.

[teapartydude]

Why would anyone be surprised that the Obama doesn't have the inbred vote in W. VA?

[iLogos]

Not. Helping.

[Krikkit]

"Inbred vote" Ignorant. Come here and say that, if you have the cajones.

[terraprieto]

If the situations were reversed, and Clinton was ahead by any number of pledged delegates, she would be the nominee. To do anything else would leave her supporters feeling severely alienated and cheated. The Democrats won't do that to either side. Since Obama will almost certainly be in the lead, he will be the nominee. I hope that the Democrats can then unite around Obama, our nominee, and win in November.

If you've concluded, as I have, that our likely nominee, Senator Barack Obama, is worthy of your vote in the fall, I urge you to consider voting for him May 13 or 20. I think it is a wise move for everyone who hopes for a Democratic victory in the fall.

Even if Obama is not your first choice now, your vote in his column of the popular vote would be a gesture of hope for a Democratic victory in November. Doing so will help unite the Democratic Party and give us our best chance for a win in the general election.

As a California voter in June of 1992, I cast my vote not for Jerry Brown, my governor and favorite candidate, but instead for an inexperienced, charismatic governor of a small state, Bill Clinton. It was clear that he would be the nominee, and I wanted to add my little boost to strengthen him going into the convention and the fall election.

Thank you for your consideration.

[terraprieto]

West Virginia and Kentucky Democrats, your help is needed to avert an ugly dispute that could damage our chances for a Democratic victory this fall. Senator Barack Obama will win the pledged delegate race -- that is a mathematical certainty. He needs to also win the popular vote to have a clear and conflict-free path to the nomination.

Even though the total popular vote will be a skewed figure, due to the mix of primary and caucus states, it will be an important number in discussions about the nomination.

If the perception is widespread that Obama won the delegate count but lost the popular vote, it will weaken our Democratic nominee and cause feelings of resentment among Clinton supporters.

It is my expectation that Obama will end the primary season June 3 with a pledged delegate margin of about a hundred votes.

Shortly thereafter, I hope the DNC, together with both campaigns, will announce they will recommend that the credentials committee seat the Florida and Michigan delegations selected at their state conventions, giving Clinton a 60 net delegate gain. Obama will continue to lead the total pledged delegate count by about 40 votes.

I think that a few hundred superdelegates will announce their commitment to vote for Obama at the convention. Obama will be the presumptive nominee, AND Michigan and Florida will have been counted in the total. (cont)

[sco8d]

What is so strange to me is that the southern states have moved beyond race and the northeast is still stuck in the past. An hour north of Philly and people have the race attitudes of Alabama in 1938, same for West Virginia, the few counties of viginia that had no slave owners and fought with the north in the civil war. It may have to do with never being around other races that produces such fear and hate, but this still does not explain why places like MN,SD,OR,MT, WY etc. all go for Obama and have almost no people of color. What is up with rural northeasterners and the problem with race?

[Krikkit]

Race is only an "issue" because Hillary supporters and the media have made it one. Yes, there is still an element of racism in America, and it isn't comfortably confined to a few "blue collar states" like Ohio and PA. It is all over, BUT it's a small element that is dying out as a cultural factor.

Media wants to keep this alive because they are generating revenues from sponsors over it. Controversy=cash. It's a simple equation. Don't get sucked into it.

[dmspeech]

The irony of WV being against Obama is that he would be the best bet for helping all those idiots who live and breed there. He has the most compassion of all 3. The Republicans have done nothing to help the middle class and yet many of masses are the biggest Republican fans of all. If it wouldn't be so detrimental to our country, I'd like to let them get who they want--George Bush III

[iLogos]

Are the insults necessary to make your point?

Yes, Sen. Obama has more compassion than the other three. He came form a background more in keeping with the same working class voters in WV who in the article are disparaging him. He is of the same religion. He is most likely to listen to their concerns and then actually take steps to improve their way of life.

The sad thing is a significant number of people will continue to believe the lies about him and vote against him.

Another example of people voting against their own self-interests.

[timeforachangenow]

"helping all those idiots who live and breed there"

and THIS is an example of the superiority of the Obama camp???

what gives YOU the right to act and speak like THIS...8(

YOU should be ASHAMED of YOURSELF!

[enskog]

The interesting thing is that people should understand that Obama has beaten the quintessential elitist family. Obama the poor kid who was kick around until his Grandma raised him. Not $100M+ elitist family.
Obama is the real deal, I hope that West Virginia takes note and realizes that the elitist family isn't going to do anything for them. In fact, the elitist family would ship their jobs overseas if they could.. maybe even negotiate their jobs with the Columbians­... is that in the works.... the working class needs to wake up to the fact that it was the elitist family that voted NAFTA into law. Barak will include you in the fabric of america and will not sell you down the NAFTA river of the elitist family.