John Edwards Win Seven Percent Of West Virginia Primary

AFP notes a strange trend in the West Virginia primary: the surprising turnout of John Edwards.

Clinton beat Obama by a bruising 67 to 26 percent in West Virginia, with 100 percent of the vote counted. Seven percent voted for former senator John Edwards, who dropped out of the presidential race in late January.

Remarks Steve Benen:

How serious were identity-politics considerations? John Edwards -- who dropped out of the race in January -- got 7% of the vote. That's quite a few West Virginians who seemed to be saying, "We don't like the black guy or the woman from New York."

Comments

[Texas4Obama]

Interesting fact...

Even though there was low turnout for Senator Obama in WV - Obama received more votes from WV than McCain did !

[shearm]

Republicans have no reason to go out and vote in the primary.

[ErnestineBass]

Especially now that gasoline is almost $4 a gallon...

[colleen2]

Edwards spoke (and still speaks) for the poor, an unpopular issue these days but one which still has resonance for many of us . While part of that surprisingly high vote for Edwards might be attributed to identity politics (as if white males don't have their own highly successful identity politics which this nation was, lets face it, founded on) perhaps some of it was due to the fact that this issue appears to be a footnote in the Obama campaign and, of course, the Clintonian/DLC concern for the poor is about as convincing and effective as Newt Gingrich's compassionate conservatism.

[530Rose]

The Democratic party has always been the champion of the poor and disenfranchised, even when it is full of educated, latte drinking, arugula eating liberal elites. Too bad the poor and disenfranchised have never been the champions of the Democratic party. It seems that the un or undereducated of the country prefer to have a present that they can relate to, that "thinks like they do" or "looks like they do." I for one would prefer someone smarter, better educated, more even tempered than I am. Look what happened when the American people got conned by Good Old Boy "W". It is too bad that the poor seem to work hard to vote against their own interests.

[DennyCrane]

Hillary should be embarrassed. She basically won because she's white. But apparently, for 7% that's not enough. She needs to be a white male to get their votes. But after all her hard work, accomplishments and so-called experience, what she really wins for is being white. How sad?

[RichBixby]

The results in West Virginia, especially the votes for Edwards, say far more about West Virginians than they say anything about the candidates themselves. A significant percentage of West Virginians, based on the exit polls, made their decision on the basis of race. These folks weren't voting for Clinton, they were voting AGAINST Obama - with those who didn't want to vote for Clinton voting for Edwards instead, because they just didn't want to vote for the black man.
Appalachia has been consistently unfriendly to Obama. Someone over at Daily Kos posted a map showing the counties across the country where Clinton received more than 65% of the vote. They're concentrated in a band that starts in New York (no surprise), and passes down the Appalachians, and finally ends in a cluster in Southwest Texas. And that's it. Not many along the East Coast, or in the rest of the west. Obama's equivalent map shows counties all across the country, except for Appalachia. Hillary's argument to the superdelegates relies on the fact that the "hardworking white folks" of Appalachia, more than any other part of the country, have voted for her. But if they've actually voted AGAINST Obama's race instead of FOR her, how valid is that as a reason to let this one region trump all the others, to give the nomination to the trailing candidate? They're probably going to vote for McCain in the fall, regardless.

[jupitor]

I don't think people in west virginia are informed enough to make a dicision. Seems to me they are some out of touch with the rest of the world. Those we saw interviewed or read about seem to be voteing for Hillary only because they know Bill Clinton as President an like him! That to me seem to indicate they thought their good Ol boy Bill was going to be running the country! To me, there is really something wrong with that logic to! sit seem giveing the facts Hillary Clinton Did not win this state at all ! People were voteing for her husband, her, Edwards and obama. Man west virgina has a reality problem, don't they! It sure sounds crazy to me! Some one should explain to these people who is running in this election, and what each one stand for so they can make a informative decision. We'll it's llucky they weren't a state that we really count on to decide this election isn't it or we would have been in amess right now!

[gba]

Do you think it helps Barack Obama winning the GE by insulting Hillary's voters?

[comodiode]

People in West Virginia may not be informed, but we can at least spell.

[GraceNeeded]

Well reasoned statement~ You convinced me! On the other hand, I have been an Obama supporter since January. Personally, I think if Senator Clinton (who happens to be my senator) was going to win the Democratic nomination, she would have already done it, when she had all the advantages before Super Tuesday. NOW, the Obama campaign has the swelling of grass roots supporters, 1,500,000 donors and a real chance to change the gridlock in Washington. We have an opportunity that may not come again in my lifetime! Our country NEEDS a new direction and the world needs us to be who we say we are.

[shela88]

"quite a few West Virginians who seemed to be saying, "We don't like the black guy or the woman from New York."..Steve, it looks to me like quite a few West Virginians probably thought John Edwards was still actively running for the nomination.

[lacewing]

Anyone who has driven across the country with the radio on knows that there is almost complete coverage of propaganda in the center of the country that, from the east coast, begins in West Virginia. You can barely find a weak NPR station (much less Democracy Now!) in the midst of the all-pervasive Country, "Christian" and right-wing talk radio. No wonder so many still believe Saddam had WMD. I grew up in West Virginia and couldn't wait to get away from the ignorance and macho-redneck culture. But then I learned the same culture exists in pockets of southern Indiana and San Diego -- and just about everywhere else. Until we Americans are able to wean ourselves from the military-industrial-media complex, we are all West Virginians.

[k6007]

hear, hear.

[ema]

My white landlord in Brooklyn NY told me when I moved in that "he didn't care what ethnicity I was as long as I was white." I agree - we are all West Virginians in some way.

[CyberCitizen]

Barack Obama is weak on a plan for rural America. Edwards had an unmistakeable rural accent but more importantly a plan. Obama should look at the very well thought out plan that Edwards had drawn up for Rural America. West Virginians love the beauty of where they live. They don't want to leave to get jobs. They don't want to say and work in unhealthy jobs. They don't want to sell off their mountaintops and their soul to the coal interests. West Virginians want a plan for staying and thriving and surviving in West Virginia. Obama should think of this as a wake-up call.

[ErnestineBass]

BINGO!!!

Enough with the flowery, feel good speeches.

Americans are ready to hear some specifics...

[creo13]

You have to open your eyes/ears to see/hear the specifics he's been talking about for months now. Or instead of posting here, take a couple of minutes to check out his website for all the specifics you need. The argument is sooo tired.

[GinnyinCO]

It's unrealistic to understand that the media coverage of the candidates is pathetic, inadequate and distorted? Theoretically, we should be getting the information from these candidates or other sources (preferably both) on all of them. If you don't have internet access it is possible to get the information in other ways. Obama's speeches have been cited by economists and veterans for excellence. However they have not been carried in full by the networks.

I know too many Americans could care less about the 94% of the world population that does not live here. They, however have no choice but to care about our presidential election. Obama has inspired millions over the world to get on the internet and research his life, experience and speeches. Many of them know the facts better than Americans who have voted in the primaries.They are actively trying to help Americans understand how much they respect and support his candidacy. Phone banking from all over the world....

I heard a guy from WV who brought up the Edwards vote as most likely white males refusing to vote for a woman or a black. I have no concern that Obama is working on how to reach the demographics who have voted for Hillary. He has, afterall, run a phenomenal campaign so far and still has millions to spend on attacking McCain all summer.

[KMKY]

Good points, CyberCitizen. The Democratic nominee must speak to all Americans, which is not the same as saying that the nominee will please everyone--attempting the former is a sign of a good leader; acknowledging the latter is a sign of a pragmatist.

[ema]

I agree. There was another post here today which, in explaining the history of the Appalachian people, also explained their isolationism and hence poverty and mistrust of outsiders. I don't know if Obama needs Appalachians to win PA and OH, but I think he seriously may need to win PA and OH in the general. It would be good and wise to understand them and their needs and show that he is willing to fight for them.

[ssaz]

West Virginians would vote for a donkey as long as he wasn't black, and if you leaked a rumor that the donkey might be muslim they wouldn't vote for him either. West Virginia residents have a history of voting for candidates that don't actually serve their own interestes. It's unfortunate that their own racism is going to be what hurts them in this case. They are voting against their better interests against Obama and I'm guessing 95% because he's black.

[loki]

Just remember, WV has a long time association with the KKK and racist. Of course Obama was going to lose. He knew it. A non white person running in WV is running for his life, not for a political post.

[WFV]

Mr. Edwards: You're Up!

Today would be an excellent day for John Edwards to endorse Barack Obama. He can give his 18 pledged delegates to Obama, plus any he may have earned last night.

Doing so may end Hillary's new campaign tactic: Civil War II.

[UnknownSoldier]

The Turnout wasn't that great in WV less than 500,000

[Caolas]

A General Election turnout in WV is only around 700,000 to 750,000. As a percentage of recent General election turnouts, the turnout for WVs primary was very high; especially when compared with how other states have turned out this primary cycle.

[IntelligentAmerican01]

West Virginia is a dead issue. No one is surprised by the outcome. Let's move on to Oregon where voters are more progressive.

[ErnestineBass]

Now there's a Progressive attitude...geez!

[jwarrener]

John Edwards has been very statesmanlike in his appearances.
I admire a guy who rather than staying home and enjoying his millions is out working as Chairman trying to reduce poverty by 50%.

[UnbiasView]

Poverty is never going to disappear, people are not created equally and have different skills or motivation.

[gba]

Poverty is a socially constructed phenomena

[new logic]

HC lost the democratic plot, she has gone bare knuckle racist in a state where that mentality prevails.
This woman shames America. .The world sees us as hypocrites and rogues

[hopelessobama]

dementia, racism, bigotry, excuse after excuse for why obama continues to be destroyed in the most important heartland states. this is liberal elitism at its apex. if we reject obama, its not because we think someone is better or believe in a different governing philosophy, no its dementia or racism. this is why obama will lose. people do not like have their faith and philosophy thrown under the bus because we refuse to follow the obama pied piper. barack and his cult are in for a rude awakening.

[ashenthorn]

At a minimum, in addition to winning all the states that John Kerry won in 2004, Obama will turn the following 2004 Bush states blue: Virginia, Missouri, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, Alaska and Ohio. I wouldn't be entirely surprised to get North Carolina too.

[gba]

You forgot Mississippi, Idaho, Georgia, Alabama, Wyoming, Tennesse, Kansas, New Hampshire , NC. SC and Kentucky

[creo13]

He lost IN by less than 1%. He won KS, IA, MO, IL, WI, MN. But of course, they do not count. He also won NC and VA, but again, they don't count, right?

Sure, racism plays a part. I am not one of the people that blames his losses on racism, but when you hear people leaving polling stations refusing to vote for him because he is muslim (so they think), that does speak to ignorance that some people have not worked through. His losses are a result of most people voting FOR Hillary and not AGAINST Obama.

[DofG]

And if John McCain ends up being president, America will never awake from a continuing nightmare towards a third world economy. "Rome is burning!" Yet, 28% of Americans think that George Bush is doing a "hellava job Brownie!" McCain wants to continue fighting an immoral war on a credit card: which has only accomplished kilo-deaths, and making the military industrial complex richer! Yet, there are people who don't "like" Obama-the "Kwai Chang Caine of politics", because he's not white enough, not black enough, not vainly patriotic enough, not pandering enough, not demagogue enough, not tough enough, and all those other things that would be tossed out of a court of law for insufficient evidence!
Only by the thirst for knowledge can the "ignorant" remedy their own ignorance! Barack Obama cannot do that for us. If we want things to be different, we have to stop relying on these old illusional metrics that will never bring us closer to realizing those ideals we've claimed as aspirations!

[TNT2008]

That's the very reason you should have endorsed Obama John! Duhhhhh! What an idiot he didn't do something to help Obama. Hillary is going to start her "kill whitey" bumper stickers with that Shock Jock on the radio. I can see it now.....she and Bill will turn it into a racial circus and not bat an eye! I hope perople are watching this.