What might West Virginia's primary mean?

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: What might West Virginia's primary mean?
By Bill Schneider
CNN Senior Political Analyst


Sen. Hillary Clinton campaigns Thursday at the West Virginia State Capitol.

CHARLESTOWN, West Virginia (CNN) -- West Virginians will head to the polls Tuesday for the state's Democratic primary between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But what will the vote there really mean after new delegate totals show Obama with a sizable lead? Some say it could send a sobering message to Obama's Democratic supporters.

West Virginia is expected to go for Clinton big time -- and the polls show it. Clinton has a 43-point advantage over Obama, 66 percent to 23 percent, according to a survey from the American Research Group released Friday. The poll was conducted after Tuesday's primary results and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. "This state is really Hillary Clinton's wheelhouse. It's an older population, socially conservative, blue-collar workers," said Kennie Bass, a political reporter for WCHS in West Virginia....

A big Clinton win will send a powerful message that there are a lot of Democrats not yet ready to get on the Obama bandwagon....

For the last two-thirds of the 20th century, West Virginia was a solidly Democratic state -- and it still is in state politics. West Virginia had not voted for a non-incumbent Republican for president since Herbert Hoover. It even voted for Michael Dukakis in 1988. Then came 2000, when George W. Bush surprised everyone by winning West Virginia. How did he do it? With social issues, such as abortion, gays -- and most important -- guns, in a state where more than 70 percent of the voters have a gun in the household. What you get in West Virginia is not so much Reagan Democrats as Bush Democrats.

Republicans believe they know how to beat Obama here. "They would likely paint him, if he's the nominee, as a far-left liberal who is pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, pro-civil union. That will not play well in West Virginia. Social issues register very high on the meter here," Bass said. Democrats can fight back by running hard on the Bush economy. But they could be in for a surprise. "As coal goes, so goes the economy of West Virginia in many respects. Coal prices right now are about $100 a ton, metallurgical coal is trading at nearly twice that. So these are not difficult times in West Virginia economically, so to speak," Bass said.

If Obama gets the nomination and it looks like the only way he can win is to get those West Virginia Democrats back, you can be sure he will think seriously about asking Clinton to go on the ticket.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/09/west.virginia/index.html

[kenny blankenship]

1. Nice Try

[marylanddem]

2. Bill Schneider - what a brilliant thinker. n/t

[DJ13]

3. Here it comes

The MSM cry that only the right leaning, pro-corporate Clinton can "save" Obama in the GE in an effort to force him to take "Mrs. negative ratings" as his VP choice.

These people are shameless.

[bluestateguy]

4. Hillary leads in the WV polls by too much for her own good

What good will it do her?

She met expectations in a small state that she expected to win by a landslide when she is way behind in the national delegate race? Big deal.

It might be time for us all to acknowledge that WV has changed, and not for the better. The country changes bit by bit every four years. Just like Virginia and North Carolina are becoming more progressive states.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Interesting note about states changing "bit by bit every four years" -- you're right. nt

[DumpDavisHogg]

6. Thanks a heap, DLC

There's no such thing as a Reagan Democrat, and there damn sure is no such thing as a Bush Democrat.

The Democrats lose the rural states now because of the stupid-ass DLC. If West Virginia is anything like Kentucky, they absolutely hate Bush there, but the DLC just doesn't offer much advantage. (The DLC was pro-war.)

If the Democrats would reject not just the Iraq War but also the stupid War on Drugs and free trade, that will help them win back the rural areas.

[Vincardog]

8. Say it again! Reject the stupid War on Drugs and free trade, and you will win the heartland.

[Vincardog]

7. A Corporate NEwz netwerk shill wants to give a leg up to HRC? I am shocked!