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

[aznurse]

Probably calling it "enemy territory" isn't a good start.
When Obama becomes president, he should prioritize some of the needs of this state to prove them wrong. Mining safety would be a issue that definetly needs changing.

If Clinton does win WV, I hope she gets the same news coverage that Biden, Dodd, Edwards and the others got during the begining of the campaign. (NIL)

[WoodyCPM]

I doubt that Obama's campaign characterized WVA as "enemy" territory. That's a coastal prejudice believed by the media and peddled as reality.

[Mapleave]

Read Bob Herbert today in the NY TIMES. Enough said.

[barackobama4prez]

So what? I mean he's only a man. If GOD can't soften anyone's heart, who is Barack Obama? We cannot reach everyone. Leave them behind. America is moving forward.

[paganmist]

That doesn't mean he shouldn't TRY.

That's was this country is about, you know. A president of the US needs to be a president of ALL the people. He needs to be better than Hillary. She'd rather leave behind the blacks (oh well!) and basically any demographic or state that doesn't support her.

Obama says screw it, I'm going into EVERY state, and I'm going to try to reach out to people.

That's what I admire about him. Even if it means he might get spit upon by people who hate him.

[Softnsweet]

barackobama4prez, So true!!

[ebbtide]

Makes me wonder how is it they voted for Bush when Condi Rice was the SOS.

[NightRider]

you did not seriously post that.

[Independent007]

Prove me wrong then.

[famu96]

racist don't mind when blacks are cooking in the kitchen

[marc1antony]

sad but true. I can't believe there are still people with such backward thinking. How do they reconcile their prejudices with their bibles?

[ann1]

my daughter graduated from FAMU

[veteran1964]

AMEN! Also racists pat a black on the shoulder and cuss him/her when they are gone....Ca­n't stand up or handle the truth at any time....Si­t on their easy chair and say the "N" word and then smile when they meet a black person....­..Sick....­CIVIL WAR IDIOTS.

[Jaxxon]

You're kidding right?

[ObserverinVancouver]

For the sake of accuracy, Dr. Rice was appointed Secretary of State after the 2004 election.

[Politihal]

I was at the Shepherdstown W. Va. rally following the North Carolina and Indiana primaries. Shepherdstown is a liberal enclave, a college town, a bedroom community of D.C.. But the 2000 who showed up for the Clinton rally were her staunch supporters. The crowd was of mixed demographics; there were only three Obama signs. Mrs. Clinton received raucous cheers during her speech. Except for an incident when some guy (perhaps an Obama plant) screamed to Mrs. Clinton an unpleasant epitaph concerning Iran, this was a celebration of Mrs. Clinton. As to the intruder, the crowd turned and booed him. No one booed Senator Clinton.

So imagine my surprise, when I opened the NY Times and discovered a story on the rally by John Broder : 'Amid Talk of the Endgame Boos From the Crowd, Clinton Carries On'. Apparently, during the rally Broder was somewhere in the ozone fantasying his own reality, because what he reported certainly wasn't the reality at that rally. This event couldn't have been a more loving environment for Mrs. Clinton or Chelsea the day after her candidacy was declared over by reporters like the bozo who wrote the false story.

About West Virginians, they are not bigots. The State of West Virginia was formed in opposition to slavery. That sense of independence is core to West Virginians today. West Virginians are a discerning bunch. Obama's empty rhetoric is what has moved their vote toward Hillary Clinton.

Halli Casser-Jayne
http://www.thecjpoliticalreport.com

[themightylex]

forced agenda much?

[Ramirez]

There are Obots appearing at almost all Clinton rallies. Their role is to disrupt the speech by heckling and shouting "questions" and insults.

This development does not bode well for American politics.

[veteran1964]

I think you have this in reversal. Hillary supports show up at all Obama meetings and yell and scream and are rude as hell. I think you need to talk TIT FOR TAT SOMETIME instead of against one person....­.I forgot....­.Sorry. Hillary supporters only have ONE TRACK MINDS....O­OPS......S­he said she is supported by un-educated people....­I'm sorry.....­..

[Harrygton]

Oh, really! Is that why the article quotes a 65 year old farmer as saying: "Obama? that's not a name for an American President" Seems to me like we are looking at residents of "The Village"..­. stuck in a time warp! Perhaps Mrs. Clinton can move there after this is over and rule for life as their Queen!

The man(Obama) is as much white as he is black... as a matter of fact his upbringing is more middle class and conservative than G. W. Bush ever was, yet these same people voted for Bush twice! Some people are just hopeless and continue to be lead by fear rather than hope! It's sad but what can you do!

[Actionmac]

just like clinton denial of her being rejected, even in the land of deliverance.

[genia]

OMG! LOL...I just LOVE your site.....L­OL....Ever­y post and blog is by authored by you???
...and my oh my......ar­e you trying to resemble Huffpo with your site layout and design???
You go girl......­LOL

[gbht12]

The delegates are minimal. It dosen't matter. I am really sick of racist people everywhere. I am white, female and over 50 and so sick of the racism that continues in this country.

Obama will the nominee and the "white" people will have to come to grips with it.
Just like I had to live through 8 long years of the Bush administration, deal with it.

[cori105]

I'm with you gbht12. I'm 50, white, female and sick to death of racism too.

There is so much more at stake--like the lives of those who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan--let alone the wretched economy, the broken health care system, the mortgage crisis the deteriorating environment, poverty...

[rextrek]

I have No doubt that many people in these 2 states STILL think Obama is Muslim,doesn't wear his Flag Pin...and they're "escared" of "Them thar' Gays gittin' married"..­.the Nit-wits vote against thier own interests.­...they actually think the GOP cares about them..LOL Dumb Thumpers.

[Ramirez]

Thankfully the Democrats have superdelegates to clear up any confusion the voters may cause.

[HopeObama08]

And sadly, you will see that soon Billary is going to accuse Barack of playing the race card. Ironically she is brilliantly exploiting those uneducated "white hard-working" democrat people, since she can no longer exploit "lazy black" people. She thinks we didn't get the message that she is saying that blck people are lazy and will vote for Barack, while white people are hard-working and will vote for her. Can she go lower than that?

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

Headlines like this is why Liberals Lose National Elections.

You cant win with egg heads with blacks!

[evekendall]

We're NOT winning with just eggheads and blacks. (Did you know that blacks are only 13% of the population of the USA?) We are winning pretty much across the board. Do your research and look at the demographics for each state.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

Before or after Rev Wright

[Jaxxon]

Easy there Spike. I think Monsters was referring to Paul Begala's statement about eggheads and blacks being the only support Obama's getting.

[apoyo]

I used to have respect for Carville and Begala. I'm real glad that I only paid one dollar for their book because it is going in the trash along with their trash talk.

[JackLivigni]

Here is the silliest quote in the whole article:

"I'm not yet convinced that Barack Obama is more substance than fluff," said Clyde M. See Jr., a former Democratic speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates and two-time gubernatorial candidate who heads a small law practice in Moorefield, the county seat. "He's a fine speaker, mind you, but I'm still not sure he's got the right stuff to win the general election."

So, Mr. See is not convinced that Obama is stronger, notwithstanding the fact that Obama has won? How does that work? Doesn't the weaker candidate usually lose? I didn't know the weaker candidate normally wins by over 1 million votes...

BTW, does the Democratic party expect to win KY and WV in November?

[poco767]

I believe the silliest quote is the headline.
Yes there are huge racial divides in areas of West Virginia, but to declare it "enemy territory" is repugnant.

[Smirk]

Whoever wrote the headline for Huffington seems to have come up with that phrase. If it's in the actual LA Times article, I've missed it.

[AnAmericanWoman]

I don't want to hear or read anymore about stupid BIGOTS from anywhere - be it WV or the moon!

[Chapmanp2]

Agreed 100%.
The assumption that everything & every decision voters ANYWHERE are making their decision based on race or gender is just flawed. There may be plenty of other reasons (totally valid reasons) that people take pause & are cautious about Obama. We've been duped by a lot of politicians & Obama IS a politician. I'm hopeful that he is what he appears to be. I'm also aware that it will take a lot of people pulling together on behalf of the common good of the Country to turn this ship around & I believe it's worth doing. The blue collar worker area was one that Obama needed to work on & I believe he has been & based on polls making up ground in that area (as evidenced in Indiana I call that a huge shift from Pennsylvania). I really wish the MSM would cut the crap w/ breaking US all down into little sub groups & trying to isolate & divide US further. Just give US the raw numbers & let US decide for ourselves. What a concept...

[NightRider]

And here am i thinking Barack was winning 90% of the "blue collar worker".

Stupid me.

[cori105]

Agreed Chapmanp2

I am 50, female, white, theoretically part of Senator Clinton's demographic. As a conservative Christian, and stay-at-home Mom I fall into Senator McCain's demographic. As an egghead (I have a graduate and post-graduate degree) I fall into Senator Obama's demographic. I'm an Independent. Which part of me trumps the other when I'm in the voting booth?

BTW, it's because I am an Independent that I can't stand the name-calling and vitriol between the Clinton and Obama supporters on message boards. I come here to find information I might not find anyplace else, otherwise I would ignore the boards completely.

[cori105]

FYI--it will be the issues that decide for me in the voting booth. Does that mean the egghead wins?

[Maury66]

Let's just say this...if Hillary Clinton wants to tally up a lopsided victory in W Va based on the percentage of residents who would vote against B Obama because he is half African, then she is well within her rights to do so. Its a free country and she has put herself in position to be able to make this happen. I'm sure its going to be newsworthy in some important respects. Unfortunately for her as well as those voters, there is a matter of conscience which they will have to deal later and from then on in their lives. This will be a smudge on the reputation of the state. It will linger long after this election cycle. HIllary will have tarnished herself again and that will linger as well.

Then again, too, perhaps we should thank Ms Clinton for shining a bright light into one corner of the USA and on herself as well. A little eyeopener, perhaps?

[NightRider]

Very well stated! Absolutely agree with your post.

[apoyo]

As well as Ed Rendell saying that some people in PA won't vote for someone who is not white. I can never think of PA again without that quote ringing in my head. Obama did fairly well in the state even though he is not 100% white.

[marc1antony]

well said - goes right in line with her "hard working americans, white americans" yup, thanks for confirming that BIGOTS are the votes that love you.

[donaldw6]

I'm basically in line with your sentiments, but West Virginia is personal for me. I continue to plead for understanding for a state that's struggled with disadvantages for a long time. They need our help, not our scorn, and when they find who's really on their side, they'll come around.

[flydoghead]

west virgina and kentucky will not go for Obama, but the process will

be good for America. We have to start somewhere.

Who would have thought a year ago that a black man would be on the verge of

becoming the next president ?

Maybe Americans are not as stupid and racist as we all fear.

It always seem in these quotes that people say, " I'm not racist, but those other people are not

ready.....­.. for a black man, white women, catholic, whatever..­......... it never them

[barackobama4prez]

Some of it is racist, BUT some of it is because Senator Clinton is not full of lofty ideas. Barack has policy but he also brings vision. I think those who can't or won't see his vision are turned off by his "rhetoric". I find it refreshing that he's not a robot who talks his policies only, ignoring "progressive reasoning" behind why, how, when...etc­. He appeals to intellectuals though.

[creo13]

I'm not understanding how you decide to vote for McCain because a reporter writes somethng you don't agree with. So I guess what this guy perceives in this conuty is Obama's fault? The logic astounds me. Suspicious to me. Go vote against a woman's right to choose. Go vote for "you're on your own" healthcare. Vote for an economic plan that leaves the struggling of us behind.

Feel rightous..­.Sleep well...FRA­UD!

[NightRider]

Exactly why WV will not vote for Barack?

Because he is Black?

How dare anyone criticize Rev Wright.

This country has bigger BIGGER problems.

WV should be damn shame of themselves. It is 2008, GET WITH THE PROGRAM.

[msmaggie]

So they should vote for Obama because he's black? WV voted for Bush over Kerry, gee, both white guys, that must have confused the hell out of them, huh?

Oh the joys of self-righteousness. (You should know though, it tends to never end well....)

[NightRider]

Give me the reasons why WV will not vote for him?

No one is saying vote for him because he is black. We do know that everyone is saying that they will not vote for him because of skin color, and are trying to disguise their prejudice by saying he is Muslim (which i find ironic and equally racist). It is almost like this should be accepted. Hillary should denounce that mindset but she is playing on it for meaningless votes.

Oh, the joy of ignorance, bigotry and stupidity. Keep supporting the failed entitlement.

[donaldw6]

Please. The point is they shouldn't NOT vote for him because he's black. Big difference.

[naschkatze]

The Democratic Party cannot afford to concede to racists and the lowest common denominator.

[flydoghead]

hear, hear

[AxmxZ]

Amen.

[debwarot]

Which is more reprehensible? The fact that racism is a deeply ingrained part of some people's belief system and outlook - or the fact that a political candidate plays upon these people's fears to win votes?

In my opinion, the politician is by far the worse offender. The people are first victims of a belief system they have learned from an early age and then they are victimized again by the politician.