Clinton's Big Win Doesn't Really Matter

McClatchy Newspapers:

Hillary Clinton clobbered Barack Obama in West Virginia Tuesday, but her late win in a small state likely did little to slow rival Barack Obama's march toward the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton won the overwhelmingly white state in a walk -- by a landslide margin of 2-1, according to exit polls -- and used the results to argue that Americans shouldn't count her out yet.

"After tonight's tremendous victory here in West Virginia, it's clear that the pundits declaring this race over have it all wrong. The voters in West Virginia spoke loud and clear -- they want this contest to go on," Clinton said in a message e-mailed to supporters Tuesday evening.

"I'm going to carry the energy of tonight's victory into the next contests in Kentucky and Oregon. ...You have worked your heart out, put yourself on the line for what you believe in and given generously. And I'm not about to turn my back on you."

Read the whole story: McClatchy Newspapers

Comments

[PrObama29]

Free lobotmies for Clintonistas!

[eej]

It's not relevant, but am I the only one who is constantly annoyed by those little apple things that have been plugged into her cheeks?

[marco34la]

I NEVER HEARD ABOUT THAT? I ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT THE BIG LINES AROUND OBAMA'S CHEEKS AND OF COURSE HIS GOOFY EARS. EVEN SO, I CAN LOOK AT HIM, HE'S NOT BAD LOOKIN, BUT THAT WIFE... HOLY F... I THINK SHE'S A DRAG QUEEN. THAT'S ONE BUTT UGLY BRAWLING B--CH!

[ConservativesRCowards]

You Republican trolls are too funny.

Not in that we laugh *with* you, but that we laugh *at* you, and you NEVER catch on.

Cowardly conservatives trying to cause the kind of infighting that you're used to at your own family reunions... Thanks but no thanks, if we wanted to watch you conservatives in trouble we'd just turn the TV on and watch COPS.

[Aleka4]

I nominate marco34la for the first one.

He would make more sense and learn where his caps lock key is.

[GBecker]

I think he already had his.

[marco34la]

OUR HOUSE KEEPER'S NAME IS ALEKA!!!
YOU BETTER NOT BE TYPING ON MY DIME... YOU GOT TOILETS TO CLEAN!!!

[MelDel7365]

Hillary's blowout says far more about West Virginia than it says about Hillary's strength or Obama's weakness...

[eej]

You'd think it was the only state in the union though, to listen to HRC & followers.

[mexamerican]

hilly's all countrified tonight. she's eatin' corn on the cob and chewin' terbacker. don't forget, hunting ducks.

[cooltxman]

it scares me that wv is a part of the united states. i am sure that there are some sane people there, but they definitely seem outnumbered by the backward, racist ones! obama does not need to start wearing overalls and dipping snuff and dropping the 'g' from words ending in 'ing' -- if the racist of america don't want to vote for him, then so be it.

[pupbayer]

EVERY demographic group voted overwhelmingly for Clinton except 2. White college educated males voted for him by 2 points and those who said they wanted change voted for him by 1 point.

This should give Obama pause.

[ChiGuy]

In WV????? LOL!!!

Yeah. He should just ignore the demographics in all of the other states.

[Dustee]

Congrat to Hillarys win in WV - these people understand her.

[marco34la]

I KNOW... LIKE.. I BET THEY NEVER EVEN HEARD OF PARIS HILTON! LIKE WHAT COUNTRY DO WE LIVE IN? SOMEONE LIKING CLINTON OVER OBAMA IS LIKE SAYING... "NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN" IS A BETTER MOVIE THAN "PIRATES OF
CARRIBEAN".... OMG... MORE PEOPLE SAW PIRATES THAN SOME MOVIE THAT I DIDN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND.

[Bluejay00234]

Yet the other 36 states don't? LOL this is too easy.

[gsikev]

All Votes matter. ALL including FL, MI, Black , White, Brown, Red, Purple, Racist, Non-racist, Pro-War, Anti-War.

All Votes Matter. The Golden Rule. and trumps all arguements or beefs with other races, genders, ideas etc..

Its the only way to make sure freedom lives.

[Dustee]

Hillary said the only votes that matter are the states that she won. And she's a presidential candidate. What does that say to the 32 states that she didn't win (unless it Fl or MI).

Speaking of rule - why doesn't Hillary play by the rule. Like George W. Bush, break any rule that he don't like.

[eej]

What does that Golden Rule say about knowingly defying rules, then demanding to change them afterward?

[mexamerican]

that's known as the 'clinton golden rule.' "there shall be no laws but the ones we make (and er...break)."

[Aleka4]

What does the golden rule say about stoking racism and pandering and lying to bigots to get a cheap win?

[ChiGuy]

Given the origin of the term "drinking the Kool-Aid", the Hillary supporters might want to re-think their ridiculously obsessive use of the phrase.

Jim Jones' supporters blindly followed him down a path to the inevitable end.

Sounds a lot to me like Clinton backers..

[YellowPanties]

This just in: Hillary and her supporters are going to start their own colony in Guyana.

[PrObama29]

yaaay! They can ride Guyana Pigs into the sunset

[marco34la]

YEP! KEEP DRINKING!
People support Clinton out of certainty...
people follow Obama because.. because... uh, Oprah says so and Chris Mathews says so...
even though, NO ONE could name one accomplishment of the 1/2 TERM Senator.
He doesn't have one. He has no interest in serving the public... just his ego.
NOW DRINK! WHEN YOU WAKE UP... MC CAIN WILL BE IN OFFICE

[atomic]

Seriously ... what certainty are you speaking about ?

Do you mean you are certain that Hillary who voted for and supported the war all along will continue to do so.

Or are you talking about how you are certain that Hillary will do nothing to investigate Bush once he is out of office.

Are you saying that you are certain that Hillary will smear and scam ... anything to be president including trashing her own party.

And then there is the certainty that the cozy relationship she and Bill have with the Bush's will continue ...

You might want to look up the word ego. It seems you don't understand what it means ... Hillary I am certain knows what it means ... in fact her "ego" is what keeps her in this even though the numbers don't add up ... in fact her "ego" thinks that she is somehow going to defeat Obama and that everyone will flock to her .... now that's an ego.

[flyfysher]

I think Obama has the Democratic nomination in hand. However, states like West Virginia and others show Obama has a problem winning over a key constituency in the Democratic party. I am sure that I will be excoriated for pointing out that fact but it is one that has to be dealt with if he becomes the Democratic presidential nominee.

[MizFlagPin]

Great insight but based on old, outdated information. Haven't you seen the new electoral map?

[RaiderGreg]

forget florida. forget michigan. forget ohio. forget west virginia. forget pennsylvania.... or just forget it! At least Hillary didn't get the nomination

[Bluejay00234]

I'm an Obmanut as many have dubbed us on this site, but I do agree.

[Aleka4]

Don't worry about it bluejay.

Its just a spin game intended to plant doubts in the minds of the supers. But there are only a few states with that kind of demographic and they all vote at the end here. Remember - more than 90% of the contest is done.

[Aleka4]

Since when are undeducated bigots a "key constituency"?

You've been fooled by a shell game. WVA does -not- represent all of America. Not even close. Obama does just fine with blue collar whites everywhere but a -few- select states well known for their peculiar racial demographics.

Just because Klinton claims ALL of America is like this doesnt make it true.

[tempus]

I see. The black people in Alabama represent all of America. Or, maybe its the 18,000 people who voted for Obama in Utah. Yeah, that must be it. Activists and AAs in red states that Obama can never win.
Forget about California, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, Penn, Indiana, etc.
Obama can win in the DEEP SOUTH (because of AAs.) Yeah, right. That's it. That's proof he is the better candidate!
Dream on.

[IndependentTogether]

Nah. Don't believe all of the Clinton hype about WV. All this proves is that Obama can't win in states in which he doesn't campaign. It's the same for all candidates.

[eej]

All it proves is that no candidate can win 100% of the states, and we already knew that.

I didn't see Obama acting like a peacock when he beat Hillary with 74% in Kansas and 90% in Utah, and those are just samples from Super Tuesday.

[KGinSanFrancisco]

Obama will use a different map to become president. WV is NOT in it. That's why he doesn't care. How can he turn ignorant bigots into rational human beings? Anyway, these people voted for Bush twice, they are to blame for the mess we are in.

[pupbayer]

Also not on Obama's map are Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Rhode Island, Texas, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Florida, Nevada, Michigan, and New Hampshire.

Boy, the U.S. sure got small, uh?

[missionimpossible]

I agree. Thanks to the Hillbillies, we've have record deficits, paying 3 billion per week for the Iraq war, and giving tax cuts to the rich, greasing the good old boys oil pockets.

Is there any way we can siphon our taxes to West Virginia? Hell, since they voted for Bush, in the first place, they should pay the lion's share of money towards the war in Iraq, taxes, and cutting our trade deficit.
Obama/Webb 08

[MizFlagPin]

Many voters who voted for Hillary since February are very upset with the Superdelegates.

They say that if the SD's can retract their support of Hillary and support Barack instead, they should be given an opportunity to unvote for her.

Support the Unvote for Hillary '08 Campaign

[Aleka4]

LOL.

I hear California is at the top of this list of people who wish they could re-do their votes. Someone posted a poll where if they redid their primary, Obama would win by 8%

[marco34la]

I LIVE IN MISSOURI.. EVERYONE HERE SAYS THAT THEY WISHED THAT THEY COULD RE-VOTE TOO. CLINTON WOULD WIN BY AT LEAST 20 PTS

[Weathermaker]

I'm sorry, but it was hillary's SDs who tried to shortcircuit the process. Her pleas to stop uncommited SDs from going to Obama must be some sweet music for the other candidates who left the race. Hillary's SDs tried hard to knock out the other candidates before Iowa.

[marco34la]

THEY ARE FREE TO DO THAT. WAKE UP!

[rigormrtis]

New theme song for Clinton campaign.

"The Distance" by Cake.

All about someone who keeps trying long after the race is over.

[PrObama29]

That song is to cool for her.
May I suggest:

"Muskrat Love" by What's her face, y'know, the pot head.

[puffhost]

You know it is bad when a cake song is too cool for a candidate. I however, think Hillary is as cool as the other side of the pillow.

Sincerely,

Bryant Gumbel

[YellowPanties]

"...the sun has gone down/ and the moon has come up/ and long ago someone/ has left with the cup... but she is still/ going the distance!"

[zull2]

And here we had Bill Clinton suggesting that she'd win by 80%.

Even if Barack Obama didn't pick up 1 delegate from West Virginia, if you still take all of the remaining delegates, pledged and super, and slice them down the middle and gave half to both, he has the nomination EASILY. Hillary Clinton would still be almost 100 delegates short. Obama is also polling ahead in Oregon, where many voters have already voted (as we do it by mail-in ballots ahead of time). I've also noticed that the Clintons are avoiding the parts of Oregon that are traditionally more Democratic in favor of areas that typically vote solidly Republican. Interesting game plan, there. As for Kentucky and Puerto Rico, those are polling much closer than West Virginia did. It is amusing, though, to see how much the Clintons care about "flyover states" when it actually might mean an election. They certainly didn't care much about all those other states prior to the Texas and Ohio primaries.

The real proof in the pudding is to go to Zogby Interational. Look around for anything that would indicate that Hillary Clinton is somehow back in this race.

[RaiderGreg]

Obama is the nominee. He's won the nomination. the problem now is the electoral college. he's a great man. so was Dukakis, Gore, and Kerry. But who's gonna be the next President? when was the last time the best (wo)man was actully elected in November?

[hillarysupporter]

Good point. Dukakis, Gore, Kerry all won the nomination. They Lost the general election.
Obama's going to lose also, because everyone is ignoring the facts. Superdelegates,
better heed that 67% win by Clinton in W. Va. or you will be blamed for Obama losing
the general election in Nov.

[marc1antony]

Excellent post, and from a fellow Oregonian, no less! :)

[the964kid]

Yawn....

WV will go for McCain in November regardless - thats one of the least educated states in America and... well I don't even need to go further on that thought...

And in November WV will be more ignorant people voting against their own economic interests.

[eej]

Tonight Obama got more votes than McCain in W.Va. I'm not sure what that means...

[Aleka4]

That is a bit odd.

Did the repubs not go out, or did they go vote for Clinton again?

[RaiderGreg]

No democrat has been elected President without winning West Virginia since Woodrow Wilson. Kerry lost there. Gore lost there. Clinton won it twice. it's foolish to say that McCain would beat Clinton in that state.

[PrObama29]

She's not Bill.

[storeyy]

We are putting a new demographic in play...catch up

[puffhost]

Yeah and the Red Sox are cursed ever since they traded the Babe.

Oh wait.

There are statistics to prove both sides of everything. Welcome to the information age.

[Meok]

Because no democrat has been elected president without winning WV in the past 22 elections doesn't mean that WV is the only test, nor does it mean that the same will hold in 2008. If that were the case, people would just poll in WV and decide ahead of the elections who wins. WV is a small state, and to think that it holds the key to the general election is a myth...
I could start a myth now: No democrat has ever won elections when the snow fall in Colorado was lower than that of Montana...Silly coincidences.

[puffhost]

Which raider are you, the silver guy with the spikey shoulder pads on or the silver guy with the oversized skull necklace and horn helmet on?

[osage]

Racisim was a major factor in Clinton's margin of victory in West Virginia. The same will be true in Kentucky. The populations of West Virginia and Kentucky are between 90% and 95% whtie. When a black person wins a presidential primary in a predominantly rural southern state populated predominantly by whites, then and only then can racism be declared a non-factor. Anyone who says racism in America is a thing of the past is either grossly ignorant or a closet racist. Very few racists broadcast their racism when the whole world is watching, but they are free to express it behind the closed curtains of a voting booth.

[MizFlagPin]

I don't know if it will be such a big lead in Kentucky. They're still mad at her in blue grass country for jinxing 8 Belle. Hillary placed a bet on 8 Belle who would have placed second in the KY Derby if she hadn't broken both of her front legs before crossing the finished line.

Big Brown had the lead and handsomely beat 8 Belle to the finish.

May 8 Belle rest in peace along with HRC's presidential aspirations.

[PrObama29]

True story: Hillary had 8belle drained of blood, then took a bath in it.

[Aleka4]

But funny, he can win northern states with 90% white populations.

Its the culture.

[soljifire]

it over

[ChiGuy]

This is so sad to watch.

Hillary is like the Black Knight from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail".

O.K., it's a little funny to watch.

[neocon666]

At this point, she's got no arms or legs, yelling "Come here, I'll bite you legs off!".

[VolvoBirkenstock]

'Tis only a flesh wound

[forworldpeace]

Last week, when Obama won North Carolina by 14% points, the media went into ecstasy about him clinching the nomination. Today Hillary wins by 40% points and there is no coverage. Huffpo and Politico try to shrug it off by asking, so who cares? Sour grapes, huh? Obama pretends to carry on as if he is in a general election mode. If he is the front runner and presumptive nominee, how does he lose by 40% points? People in West Virginia have been hearing the whole media frenzy and Obama’s campaign contention that his path to the nomination is inevitable. So why do they even bother to turn out? In your blind allegiance do you realize that people are simply exercising their rights to express their voice and opinion in the true democratic process? Why don’t the media and the Obama supporters let the process run its course? David Broder writes “At the most personal level, it (this endless campaign) denies Obama the rest he badly needs. His friends talk with real concern about the fatigue he constantly feels and often shows”. Fatigue? If he is tired of this, what he did he think that the job of a President involved? Does Obama and his campaign and his worshippers think he can win the general election without the Clinton supporters? Treat her and those who vote for her with some respect if you wish for Obama to win the general election.

[donaldw6]

Respect is earned. Respect must be mutual.

[PrObama29]

No. Zero respect is due.She can have as much disdain as she likes, but NO respect.

[GBecker]

Obama's gotta be exhausted. He's campaigning against 3 Clintons and McSame. 4 against 1 is unrealistic, yet he's the frontrunner and will be our next president.

[IndependentTogether]

If WV had 150+ delegates, you bet your buns that the media will be making a big deal about her win. However, only 28 delegates were in play. ***Twenty Eight***!

The fact is, Obama didn't campaign in WV and the media isn't making much of her win because of one inescapable fact: there aren't enough delegates left for HRC to make a significant dent in Obama's lead. I know that's hard to swallow, especially because of the line that the Clinton campaign keeps feeding you about the significance of WV. However, they are actually feeding you false hopes because the math doesn't lie. That she won a few more delegates isn't going to make much difference.

[YellowPanties]

Your scorched earth policy candidate is not going to win any respect around here.

The math is clear that Hillary needed to win ALL of the remaining caucuses including North Carolina and Indiana by the margins she won W. Virginia. When she fails in one of those, it makes the other states' percentages even higher. That is why this win means "nothing."

It's hard to understand what Hillary supporters deem to be the nomination's "course," when they say "let it run its course." The nomination is over mathematically. The only way, and I mean ONLY way Hillary can win is if there is a rebellion at the convention. If Hillary gets all the delegates to break their rules and their pledges and gets them to hand her the nomination DESPITE losing the popular vote, the delegate count, the superdelegate count, and the number of states won - she will be the nominee.

All other scenarios show her losing. Do you get it yet? If she plays the democratic way, she loses. If she cheats or gets the rules subverted/broken/changed, she MIGHT win. Therefore, the rest of us are extremely "fatigued" by Hillary.

[forworldpeace]

The primaries are going to be held no matter what, and no one can stop them. So let the people have their say, one way or the other. For the sake of her legacy and name, Clinton will accept the decision of pledged delegates and superdelegates and this will all be decided soon after the primaries. She only feels committed 200% to her supporters and feels the need to carry this through for the sake of those who do not want her to give up. She has said that she will work her heart out for the nominee.

I was more amused by Obama's "fatigue" while this 60 year old woman is still so actively campaigning. He thought his coronation would come faster perhaps. Poor man. Wonder how tired he would be when he has to shoulder the responsibilities of being the leader of the free world. Bush already told us that the job is hard!

[Bluejay00234]

*claps* exasperatedly.

[sbvpav]

it seems to me the flaw in clinton's "electoral college" strategy is how would clinton win these "swing" states without the african-american vote. if history shows the democrats have not won the white vote majority since 1964 and LBJ, the african american vote has been the "swing" vote. i am a white, female, over 60 supporting sen. obama but i will never vote for hillary clinton.

[puffhost]

Do West Virginians vote in the electoral college, the electoral trade school, or the electoral pre school?

[PrObama29]

Pretty sure it's the ITT Electoral tech

[ChiGuy]

Whichever it was, it appears most of them dropped out.