Top Headlines
W.Va. Democratic Race Considered ‘Wide Open’
By JOSELYN KING
POSTED: May 8, 2008
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But in light of this week’s results in North Carolina and Indiana, now he’s not so certain Clinton, D-N.Y., will be the victor over U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill, in the the state.
What Casey is sure of is that West Virginia is going to be “the center of the political universe” through the May 13 primary election.
“I don’t know who is going to win,” he said. “It was common wisdom a day ago (on Monday) that Sen. Clinton was likely to win West Virginia. This thought was based on demographics, the results in neighboring areas in Ohio and Pennsylvania and her momentum.
“But now, with activities (on Tuesday), certain expectations didn’t happen. There is to be a good week of campaigning by both campaigns in the coming days — but the dynamics are different today than they were yesterday. The race is wide open.”
Following this week’s results in North Carolina and Indiana, Obama leads Clinton in the number of projected delegates — 1,584 to 1,413, according to Associated Press figures. When a survey of superdelegates is added into the mix, the figures are 1,840 to 1,684 in Obama’s favor.
The next stop for the candidates is West Virginia, and next week’s primary election is going to put the state in the camera lens of the national media, Casey noted.
“I suspect we’re going to be at the center of the political universe for a couple of days,” he said. “From a national media perspective, they will be looking at the interests of West Virginians, how we conduct ourselves and what good people we are. The whole country will get a chance to see us in action.
“We are now the actors and decision makers deciding who our next president will be, and that person is likely to be a Democrat.”
Both Clinton and Obama have scheduled events in the Charleston area for this week, though both campaigns have had a significant presence in the state since late April.
“The Obama folks came in earlier,” Casey noted. “And people were impressed with their crew. They used local talent.”
Unlike presidential campaigns in the past, Casey said the Obama campaign contacted the state party office and asked for names of local people who might want to work for the campaign in the state.
“They also are paying them,” he said. “They believe the best way to get the message out is to have people here who can communicate with West Virginia voters.”
Casey said the Clinton campaign also is utilizing local talent in their West Virginia campaign.
As a state party chairman, Casey is among the superdelegates who will cast unpledged votes for the party’s presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention, slated for Aug. 25-28 in Denver.
He hasn’t yet decided who he will support.
“I’m very interested in seeing how the vote goes on May 13,” Casey said. “I still need the guidance of those who request a Democratic ballot.”
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Virginian
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05-10-08 12:42 PM
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TruthinPolitics, thank you! I think the media gives small-town America a bad name. To listen to them, all white, middle/lower-class people is rural towns are too afraid to vote for a black person, and that makes me angry. My concern at this point is that some of Clinton's most ardent supporters seem to not care about the issues at all, just doing anything to try and ger HER elected. Seems they will cut off their noses to spite their faces (& ours!) & don't truly care about issues. It's sad b/c this is not about HRC, or BHO, or even McCain, it's about economy & wars, etc., & right now fighting for HRC is ONLY helping McCain. Unless they discover BHO is an axe murderer, they won't reverse his lead or they lose far too many voters.
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Virginian
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05-10-08 12:30 PM
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Littlebeavis, You have the right to your opinions, & I respect that. If you are extremely anti-Choice, I'd assume you'd never vote for a Dem, which is your choice. I've never had an abortion & don't expect I ever will, but I do support the right for a woman to decide, mainly because if we reverse this, we will be back to women & young girls getting dangerous illegal abortions from people who don't know what they're doing. This is worse to me. But I also believe we must push educating young people so they don't get pregnant, etc.
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RedDish
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05-09-08 10:08 AM
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atoddh And the fact that Sen.Obama is the Senator from Illinois is the ONLY other thing he had in common with Lincoln. President Lincoln served two FULL terms in the state legislature before coming to national prominence in the debates
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RedDish
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05-09-08 10:06 AM
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atoddh--but there is a report out there (wwwdotnberdotorg use the search function asking for gas tax relief and you'll find a working paper titled $2.00 Gas! that claims (no, I haven't read the whole thing, just a summary) that the state tax relief actually benefitted the citizens of Illinois. I know this is a state tax vs. federal tax, but the holiday in Illinois DID help Sen.Obama's constituants.
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Georgetwin
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05-09-08 9:56 AM
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Cory1978, check out Illinois in 1960 (run by Democrats) for voter fraud, The Democrats set up the current mess with Proportional Delegates and Super Delegates, HOW IN THE WORLD did The GOP have ANYTHING to do with it. President won EVERY recount in 2000, Gore was going for recounts in a few SELECTED, DEMOCRAT, STRONGHOLDS, NOT for the whole State of Florida. Hmmmm, seems like he might have been tipped off to call for a recount in those few areas doesn’t it?!?!?! Bottom-Line, Lying and Cheating are a HUMAN CONDITION that cuts across Political, Racial, Ethnic and Demographic Lines.
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Mrsawd
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05-09-08 12:07 AM
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Hillary supporters we can win ! but only if you make sure you get out and vote do not let the lie stop you ! If Hillary gets 60% in each state she has the nomination but Obamas team does not want you all to know that ! Plus then this does not even count Florida and Michigan !
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Mrsawd
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05-09-08 12:04 AM
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Hillary is not Desparate she knows sh can win and will with her supporters backing her ! Obama and his team want people to think it is over so he can win basically be default ! so make every one aware lies are being spead and this is exactly what Obama wants and hope for that he will win because people think she can not win when this is outrageous lies ! Pleae for god sakes get out and vote !
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atoddh
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05-08-08 11:22 PM
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Red: Obama on "Meet the Press" commented that he is opposed because it did not work in Illinois.It waa a mistake that he did not want to repeat. In the 1860 election Lincoln came out of nowhere - from Illinois - to be elected much as Obama has.Obama will be sworn in during the 200 th birthday celebration of Lincoln's birthday.
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RedDish
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05-08-08 10:27 PM
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atoddh---I know you support Sen.Obama. I think in the past we have agreed to disagree, but really, Lincoln? The ONLY thing they have in common is oratorical skills. And why was it okay for State Senator Obama to try and pass a gas tax holiday in Illinois three times if it doesn't work?
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WheelingNailers7
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05-08-08 9:15 PM
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I should add, that insane amount I'm talking about is not nationally. MrS. Clinton is losing more and more on a national level. I'm talking about WV. Here some polls show her doubling up on Obama. I feel for our residents some times. If she is the best we can do, my God, we're a sorry bunch. Obama/Manchin '08
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WheelingNailers7
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05-08-08 9:13 PM
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I can't see how the media thinks this race is wide open when some reports show Mrs Clinton up by some insane amount. I can guarantee one thing though. I haven't been polled and I will NOT be voting for her. WV's may roll over for the Clintons by the masses, but I won't be one of them. I fully support Barack Obama and am glad that he and Senator Rockefeller will be on the trail this coming Monday. Obama/Manchin!
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Littlebeavis
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05-08-08 8:57 PM
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Virginian - you and your "right to choose" scare me. As for your candidate, Mr. Obama, not only does he support partial birth abortion - and I'd like to hear somebody tell me why that procedure is necessary, he also voted to deny babies who somehow survive an abortion medical care and instead wants them to lay there and suffer till they eventually die. And we want someone who cares this little about life to lead our country? Now that's scary!
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atoddh
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05-08-08 8:25 PM
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Yes Truth: Obama is honest and fair minded. He would be the most beneficial for WV in terms of policy. Note that he very truthfully did not support the gas holiday even though it would have been advantageous for votes.Obama is very much in the style of Lincoln-the father of WV- including his remarkable gift for oration.
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TruthinPolitics
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05-08-08 7:44 PM
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Virginian, I am an Obama supporter. I'm not a yuppy or any of the other stereotypes they stick on his supporters. I'm a life long West Virginian who is impressed with his bipartisan message and his stance on trade, unions, and foreign policy. I'm not distracted by the media attacks. I research and think for myself thank you. I will not vote for John McCain and not as many democrats will as the press would like you to think. There are lots of Obama supporters in West Virginia. Keep your eyes open, when he comes here to speak and you will see how much support he has. Yes we can!
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cory1978
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05-08-08 4:30 PM
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whats desperate about wv? are we not people too rusty??
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cory1978
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05-08-08 4:26 PM
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good lord red..it was 1824 - Adams vs Jackson 1876 - Hayes vs Tilden and 1888 - Harrison vs Cleveland....all had problems due to new states goining the union...i don't think we have that problem now...it more money more slander to make the other opponent look bad.....republicans are good making a mountain out of a mole hill since 2000...time for a change...not obama change...good lord!
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Rusty1
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05-08-08 4:21 PM
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Hillary in West Virginia? She is desperate, isn't she?
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Rusty1
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05-08-08 4:21 PM
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Hillary in West Virginia? She is desperate, isn't she?
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atoddh
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05-08-08 3:07 PM
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Hillary does well with the uneducated,working class,traditional democratic whites & Catholics. WV has very few blacks or other minorities and not many "yuppies" who favor Obama. The demographics in WV are extremely favorable to Hillary with the possible exception of Morgantown and the Eastern Panhandle.
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RedDish
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05-08-08 3:03 PM
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okay, Cory1978, I did miss that comment. Still, everyone crows about the Republicans "stealing" the election in 2000, but are now silent about the same theft going on in Florida and Michigan. How would you feel if your vote didn't count in the selection of the candidate of your party? Or that some votes "count" more than others? And, by the way, election fraud has been going on for (probably) centuries. Yes, only recently has the electoral college been suspected of being involved. But there have been 3 other times the popular vote and the electoral vote haven't jivved. Their party affiliation doesn't count since it was in the 18th & 19th centuries.
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cory1978
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05-08-08 2:40 PM
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sorry red but maybe you missed what i said.....the injustices of the past remind me of the injustices (messes) of today....democrates tend to steal more elections than republicans??? please!! we just started having problems with the electorial college in the past several elections with republicans comming out on top
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RedDish
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05-08-08 2:21 PM
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I'm sorry to sound snarky, Cory1978, but I really want to know how local Democrats feel about this delegate/superdelegate mess. The CURRENT mess. Not perceived "injustices" in the past.
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Virginian
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05-08-08 2:20 PM
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My family was raised in Fairmont & I live in VA. It's sad that people will vote for McCain if their candidate doesn't win. Folks are caught up in the candidates & are forgetting the issues important to us! As a woman, my right to choose is very important to me, & McCain wants to take that away. The next president will be replacing 3-4 supreme court judges, so McCain scares me. Clinton & Obama's supporters need to knock off the nastiness & realize this is about us, not candidates. Either will be better for us & America than McCain. We've spend over $300 BILLION in Iraq, paying them to help fight for their country, while our economy has been going down the tubes. We need to focus on McCain NOT winning, even if the candidate you want doesn't get the nomination. It looks like that nominee will be Obama & we should support him, not tear him down. Clinton is no longer attacking him because she knows he'll be the nominee & that he's better than McCain. SHE wa
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RedDish
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05-08-08 2:18 PM
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cory1978---Ask the Democrats. They're historically far better at stealing elections.
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cory1978
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05-08-08 2:18 PM
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popular vote obviously means nothing so why report it? to show that the electorial college is no longer effective.....thats my guess
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