WV DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY BREAKDOWN

by: Jeremiah

Wed May 14, 2008 at 22:07:23 PM EDT

WV'S POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE
I must tip my cap to Senator Hillary Clinton for her thorough drumming of Barack Obama in the WV Primary.  Senator Clinton won WV by almost 150,000 votes.  That margin is impressive as hell and signifies the strides that Hillary Clinton has made as a campaigner during this long Democratic Primary.  The national math is still overwhelmingly in favor of Barack Obama but this defeat is a wake up call to the Obama campaign.
Obama needs to not only speak to the issues of rural and blue collar workers but he must do so in a way that resonates with this population.  Obama has already showed that he hears this message loud and clear as he has visited rural Missouri and blue collar Michigan in the past two days as he looks to position himself for the general election.  Obama has the right policies for this population and now he needs to sell it to them.

I'd also like to use this moment to lambast those in the national media, as well as some of my fellow Obama supporters, on the issue of race and stereotyping.  Let me not mince words, Hillary Clinton did not win West Virginia because Barack Obama is from a mixed racial background nor did she win because West Virginians think that he is Muslim.  I am not so naïve as to believe that ethnicity plays no impact in the way that some voters determine how to cast their vote but to say that Hillary won WV due to that minority of voters is insulting not only to the Obama and Clinton campaigns but also to the state of WV and her people.  Let's face it; there are racists, bigots and idiots in all 50 states in the union but some in the national press used the stereotype of WV to mitigate and marginalize its vote.  I will be damned if I'll sit around while this stereotype is perpetuated and so should all of you.  It was wrong when Bill Clinton said that the South Carolina would go for Obama just because he is black just as it is wrong for others to imply that WV went for Hillary just because she is white.  

The Clinton name did a lot for Hillary in WV and she did a great job giving her populist message- basically, she portrayed herself as the working class, mountain mamma warrior and it worked with voters.  That says more about her than it does about Obama's shortfalls or people's bigotry so let's just keep that in mind.  

Ultimately, I think West Virginia's vote emphasizes the importance of the elderly and the blue collar worker.  Obama needs to continue to make in-roads with this population- not just for WV but for a whole cluster of states with similar populations.  Again, Obama has the right policies so now he just has to sell them.  I also think that Hillary's huge win should move her to the top of Obama's short list for VP.  She has transformed herself during this primary into the never quit kid and this image has resonated with rural and blue collar voters.  

With Hillary on the ticket, Obama assures himself of the best possible chances moving into the general election.  I realize that she also brings some baggage with her and there may be some hard feelings but changing the policies in Washington is our number one priority and with these two on the ticket we have the best chance to accomplish that goal.  

One last comment, Obama cannot write WV off.  The impact of such a move would play into accusations that Obama is snobbish and out of touch with common people.  I do not believe these accusations for one second, given Obama's background, but the perception of shunning hardworking WV could be potentially damaging elsewhere.  In addition, WV may only have five electoral votes but given the closeness of the past two elections those five votes matter.  Senator Obama, please come back to WV and help us in the state that believe in you convince our brothers and sisters why you are the best candidate for the job.  

SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT- Anne Barth showed her popular appeal by nearly doubling the combined votes received by her two competitors.  Barth has a lot of work to do to unseat Shelly MOORE Capito but if the recent Congressional runoff elections in Louisiana and Mississippi are any indication then Democrats could be in store for major wins this November.  Barth would be wise to hit Shelly with every single stone she can pick up and I hope the DNC steps in to help her because I think she can do it.  As an aside, this race might serve as the political obituary for longtime South Charleston mayor Richie Robb.  He has lost this same race the past two elections and does not seem to be making any gains.

SECRETARY OF STATE- Natalie Tennant had a convincing victory in what was to be one of the more competitive statewide races.  Tennant was boosted by her name recognition across WV as she beat the combined total of her two opponents.  Tennant is famous for being the only female Mountaineer in WVU history as well as being a news anchor for several WV television stations as well as a special reporter for Mountaineer Magazine- the WVU Sports show.  I am really glad Tennant won and I personally think this is just a stepping stone for a very promising future.

As an aside, it will be interesting to see what happens in the House of Delegates leadership as Delegate Joe DeLong will have to be replaced as Majority Leader due to his race for SOS.  On this short list I would place Caputo, Miley, Proudfoot, Boggs and Ennis.

WV SUPREME COURT- This race gives me the greatest pleasure.  Don Blankenship proved to be political poison yet again as incumbent Spike Maynard was defeated by Menis Ketchum and Margaret Workman.  I was pulling for Bob Bastress personally but I am perfectly fine with Ketchum and Workman.  Maynard ended up finishing a distant third with Workman leading the ticket with a large majority of the votes.  They will face only one Republican in the general, Beth Walker.

30TH DELEGATE DISTRICT- Danny Wells, Bobbie Hatfield, Bonnie Brown, Sharon Spencer, Nancy Guthrie, Doug Skaff and Mark Hunt finished in the top seven with Doug Higgins failing to return.  I am fine with the results in this race minus Sharon Spencer.  I was surprised to see that Danny Wells receive the most votes in the district but with Palumbo leaving for the Senate it was spot up for grabs.

OTHER DELEGATE RACES- Carrie Webster of Charleston was in a surprisingly close race with newcomer Meesha Moore (a local public defender) for her seat.  Webster is one of the more powerful delegates as she chairs the very important Committee on the Judiciary.  I have no insight on why this race was so close other than to say that Meesha Moore attached herself solidly to Barack Obama who did very well in the 31st Delegate District.  Webster has no opposition from Republicans in the November and Moore is sure to be heard from again after such a strong showing- perhaps a mayoral candidate?

In addition to Doug Higgins (who was appointed to serve out the remainder of Jon Amores term), there were five other Democratic Delegate incumbents to lose Tuesday.  Kenneth Tucker of the 4th District, Ted Ellis and Lidella Hrutkay of the 19th District, Mike Burgess of the 22nd District and John Pino of the 29th District were all defeated with John Pino (one of the longest serving delegates) and Lidella Hrutkay (Roads and Transportation Chair) being the most notable.  

Hrutkay faced tough opposition in the 2006 Primary but I am really unsure as to why she has had such trouble securing a strong grasp on her seat.  As for Pino, he was targeted by labor this year for his aggressive stances against several labor endorsed bills.  Pino is one of the eldest members of the House and although his positions tend to differ from mine on quite a few issues, I always respected his opinions and took note when he rose to speak.

So there is my breakdown.  Hope you enjoyed it and as always feel free to comment if you agree but especially if you do not.  Thanks.

Barack Obama's Speech - Charleston WV - Monday May 12th

by: wvblueguy

Tue May 13, 2008 at 02:02:29 AM EDT

Thanks and HT to desiunion on DailyKos recommend list tonight. 

Campaign Events Scheduled as WV Comes Into Focus for Candidates

by: wvblueguy

Wed May 07, 2008 at 19:58:30 PM EDT

Obviously Hillary is looking to try and blow out Barack Obama in West Virginia with only 5 days to go until our primary on May 13th. Unfortunately the Hillary Website has very poor information as to where appearances will take place for Bill Clinton. I originally heard that he was going to be at the Mercer County Courthouse in Princeton at 8:00pm tomorrow night. I was told that by the Judge whose Courtroom they were going to use (not a good location). I called the Clinton campaign headquarters in Charleston and after a few minutes wait learned that he will be at Concord University in Athens at 8:00pm. I got a robo-call about 7:15 announcing this as well. Pretty poor planning and press. It sounds like the events listed below were planned at the last minute after the results came in from North Carolina and Indiana.

Update: The following email was posted by Clem earlier... I missed it so sorry for the repeat. 

Clinton Family Visits Announced:

Today, Wednesday May 7, 12:00 pm Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Attend “Solutions for the American Economy” Event Shepherd University McMurran Hall 101 East German St. Shepherdstown, WV

Thursday, May 8 Doors Open: 8:00 a.m. Event Begins: 10:15 a.m. Hillary Clinton Attends a “Solutions for America” Rally West Virginia State Capitol Complex Lawn Rain site: Inside the Capitol Rotunda 1900 Kanawha Blvd Charleston, WV 25305 Thursday, May 8, 2008.

Fmr President Bill Clinton Campaigns across the state Philippi to Sutton, then Fayetteville, then Lewisburg, then Mercer County Call the Clinton WV HQ for more information (304) 346-1913 or visit her WV Site. 

Obama Campaign Announces Events:

Today, Wednesday May 7 What: Press Conference to discuss bridges, roads and infrastructure Who: Former Governor Ray Mabus (D-MS) and WV Auditor Glen B. Gainer III. Where: South Charleston Interstate Bridge Intersection of MacCorkle Ave SW and Jefferson Rd. Charleston WHEN: 10:15am

What: Lunch with supporters and Early Voting Where: Court Street Station Café 123 N Court Street, Ripley WHEN: 12:00pm What: Press Conference to discuss bridges, roads and infrastructure Where: Point Park, Ann and 2nd Street, Parkersburg WHEN: 2:00pm What: Governor Mabus meets with local veterans Where: Parkersburg VFW Hall 1212, 1638 Garfield Avenue Parkersburg WHEN: 5:00pm

What: Governor Mabus meets with volunteers and supporters phone banking for change Where: Obama for America Parkersburg HQ. 219 4th Street, Parkersburg WHEN: 6:45pm Contact the Obama WV HQ at (304) 346-2616 for more information or visit his WV Website.

WV AFL-CIO Announces Primary Election Endorsements

by: Wabi-Sabi

Sat Mar 15, 2008 at 15:57:20 PM EDT

The West Virginia AFL-CIO State COPE (Committee on Political Education) met Saturday, March 15, 2008 at the Charleston Marriott to finalize endorsements for the primary election.  

The West Virginia AFL-CIO State COPE committee is comprised of representatives from every affiliated international union in West Virginia, as well as representatives from the trade and industrial councils, the Central Labor Councils and the West Virginia AFL-CIO Executive Board.

An endorsement by the West Virginia AFL-CIO is based on recommendations from Central Labor Councils who conduct candidate interviews following a review of the candidate's completed questionnaire concerning issues of vital importance to West Virginia's working women and men.

The endorsements made for the May 13, 2008 primary election are posted after the jump.

BREAKING NEWS: Rahall Endorses Obama

by: Wabi-Sabi

Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 14:57:16 PM EST

Barack Obama will pick up an important industrial state endorsement from veteran Rep. Nick J. Rahall II before the May 13 West Virginia primary.

Rahall told CQ Politics Thursday that he privately made his commitment to Obama about 10 days ago and will officially endorse the delegate leader in the Democratic presidential primary sometime before voters in his state go to the polls.

"The new voters he has brought to the process this year and the new direction, in my opinion, add up to what our country needs," Rahall said.

Obama has struggled to win the support of the type of working-class white voters who populate much of Rahall's 3rd district in the southern portion of the state. In the Ohio primary on Tuesday, many of them backed Hillary Rodham Clinton , and Rahall acknowledged that his pick may be out of step with the leanings of the Democratic voters in his district."I recognize this may not be a popular decision in my district," he said. The district has the third?lowest median income in the country.

As a member of the House, Rahall is one of the 795 "superdelegates" who are not forced to pledge their support to any candidate at the Democratic convention. West Virginia has 28 pledged delegates and 11 unpledged, including Rahall.

I think this will help Senator Obama a lot in southern WV.  The comment that he made his commitment "about 10 days ago" also seems to indicate that the Obama Campaign is coordinating the announcements of their endorsements strategically with more to follow.

The Iowa Caucus - Should it Really Mean Anything?

by: wvblueguy

Tue Jan 01, 2008 at 11:52:11 AM EST

Its tough being a voter here in West Virginia during the Presidential primaries particularly if you listen to the media which is trying desperately to crown a winner early in the season based on results in what I believe should be the absolutely meaningless Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire primary. The New York Times is already speculating about what will happen to Hillary if she finishes third in Iowa.

In truth, amid all the endless permutations of outcomes that are being discussed — can Mrs. Clinton, the putative front-runner, survive a third-place finish, or Mr. Edwards a second-place one? — aides are beginning to grapple with the frustrating possibility that all the time, money and political skill invested here might prove to be for naught when it comes to identifying the candidate to beat in the primaries and winnowing the top tier. 

I'm sorry, but how in the world does an undemocratic event like a "caucus" that involves a small percentage of Iowa Democratic voters in the process mean a bloody thing in the long haul?  I guess if you are the New York Times, CNN, or some kind of self appointed network pundit you are longing for a result in the flatlands of the mid-west that will decide who the Democrats will choose to face off against the Republican candidate.  I can't imagine how anyone can equate a "caucus" to a real vote by registered voters who actually go to the polls and like vote. 

The cable news media should take the time to adequately explain to the rest of the country how the process works in Iowa. DesMoinesDem did a great job of explaining the weird world of the Iowa system on MyDD... you can read the explanation here.  If after reading that excellent post you are still confused then join the crowd.  A bit more can be learned by reading an article by Dan Balz of the Washington Post that still left me confused particularly when he makes statements like this...

What's good about the caucus process is that it is very personal. Candidates talk directly to the voters, often more than once, as they campaign in the state. Campaign workers contact voters constantly with phone calls, direct mail, even personal visits from young and eager field organizers.

Isn't that part of the process in any primary campaign?  I'm really frustrated by the changing polls and the significantly different polls originating on Blogs and in the media regarding Iowa.  The thing that sums up Iowa for me is that in 2004 only 125,000 Democratic Party participants (I can't use the word voters) actually made Kerry a front runner.  I'll bet we have a better turnout here in West Virginia in our Primary on May 13th than the participants we will see in Iowa on January 3rd. Our votes for a party Presidential candidate will only mean something if more than one candidate is left running.

The New York Times has a great run down on the key dates involved in the Primary process that can be analyzed here. It would be wonderful if more than three candidates are still viable by the time we vote, but the chances of that happening are slim and next to none.

Its my guess the West Virginia Primary will be all about our statewide and local candidates, and that our votes for a Presidential nominee will be basically meaningless.  We can talk all we want about how we feel about Obama, Clinton, Edwards, Richardson, Dodd, Biden, Kucinich or Gravel and it will mean absolutely nothing in the final tally because we are so late in the process. 

Maybe the state can do something about at least moving us up to the the Super Tuesday group maybe then our votes may mean something in 2012.  In my opinion the whole process stinks in a modern Democracy like ours.  There has got to be a better way that allows for more folks like us in West Virginia to have a say in who our candidate will be than what we have now.

There is a poll on the flip.