Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

Politicalcynic — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:31:43 GMT

Thank you for a nice analysis. The fact is that this election will now be decided in very few states. With PA and MI pretty much looking like Obama locks, along with MI, IA and NH, the only real question marks left are Florida, Ohio, Colorado, New Mexico and Virginia. And given that Obama can win with either the Kerry states plus NH, CO and NM, or the Kerry States plus NH and VA alone, even Ohio and Florida aren't that important to Obama's campaign-other than to the extent they tie up McCain's resources.

At this point in the race, the press should stop "inventing" a horse race and look at the state by state dynamics. Popular leads in this type of election (much like Bush/Gore) don't mean that much in the face of a candidate with an electoral college advantage.

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

ALLEAS — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:49:37 GMT

HAVE YOU SEEN VOTERS IN WEST VIRGINIA??!! TAKE A LOOK.

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

raventek — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:35:26 GMT

Andrew,

I think McCain should be worried about everything... do you really expect the voters to reley on his bad judgement and directions. I've suffered the Bush's era and have lost almost everything, while the rich have gotten bailed out.

I live in Michigan and I'll tell you he's not welcome here, so maybe, just maybe McCain and his keeper should worrie if the'll have jobs after Nov 4

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

TNT4WV — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:04:44 GMT

I live in West Virginia , change is in the air and I not talking about the weather. Since the debates more and more West Virginians are seeing Mr. Obama as presidential. Two months ago you couldn't bring up the subject of Obama. People are seeing him as more of a gobal leader. Coal to liquids has helped him. By the way, if John Kerry had carried West Virginia he would have won the election. I do not believe the republicians can hope to roll out guns and God this time to excuse the last eight years.

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

Obama Drama — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:19:17 GMT

fOR ALL THE POLLS - 900 PEOPLE ASKED IS NOT A GOOD PREDICTER - JOHN MCCAIN WILL DO EXTREMELY WELL -

HOWEVER - I THINK THAT MSNBC AND OTHERS ARE COVERING FOR THE ACORN PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRIED TO REG PEOPLE 2-70 TIMES. ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE ACCROSS BORDER STATES IN ORDER TO TRY TO SWING THAT STATE IN OBAMA'S FAVOR. COLLEGE STUDENTS AS WELL- IF IT CLOSE IN THIER STATE THEY WILL VOTE THERE - IF IT IS CLOSE WHERE THEY GO TO SCHOOL THEY VOTE THERE. THERE IS ALOT OF CHEATING GOING ON HERE.

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

Obama Drama — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:21:24 GMT

ACORN WILL COME IN TO CHEAT ON WEST V

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

dutchinnd — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:04:04 GMT

Now even ND might be in question. The Fargo Forum poll shows Obama with a slight edge in a state that hasn't voted Democratic since '64.

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

faceoctober — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:13:26 GMT

I keep hearing this acorn disscussion but after doing some research I found that McCain also supported Acorn and in 2002 or 2006 (can't remember) stated in speech that he commends what acorn does! So, with that said I think this Acorn thing is stupid and time wasting. Over regestering voters would'nt translate to vites anyways, and especially in Ohio!

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

snowwhitemother — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:18:00 GMT

I am wondering why Acorn didn't report from media?? It only reported more briefy in the show of Lou Dobb and Glen Beck?? not much mention from Campbell Brown "No bias, no Bull", a very little mention in Wolf and Anderson 360. This is a very important election, why the media let Obama to steal the presidency and privilege election of American?? Instead, Palin's incident has been reporting months after months after months.... the show should be named "Bias to Obama, Bull to McCain".

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

vstillwell — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:22:52 GMT

snowwhitemother, you actually watch Glen Beck? That's sad.

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

speckelbelly — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:46:35 GMT

THIS OLD RETIRED WHITE MALE ALLREADY VOTED MAIL IN BALLOT!

GO OBAMA!!! YOU HAVE THE BETTER PLAN FOR AMERICA!

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

Riverguide — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:11:41 GMT

Yes he should worry. And so should all other republicians running in this state. The tide is turning. These hardworking folks have been fooled enough. They see right through this code the GOP speakes and are now ready to step up a throw the bums out. There is so much ground level support here for Obama that people are fighting just to get a yard sign. These god fearing, honest citizens have been on the business end of the of the crap machine too long. They are christians, but they a democrats too, McCains' false faith and the pandering sounds just like what mislead them in the past and they have had all they want. Just come here and hang out for a while, you will see.

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

mvymvy — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:58:15 GMT

The real issue is not how well Obama or McCain might do state-by-state, but that we shouldn't have battleground states and spectator states in the first place. Every vote in every state should be politically relevant in a presidential election. And, every vote should be equal. We should have a national popular vote for President in which the White House goes to the candidate who gets the most popular votes in all 50 states.

The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC). The bill would take effect only when enacted, in identical form, by states possessing a majority of the electoral vote -- that is, enough electoral votes to elect a President (270 of 538). When the bill comes into effect, all the electoral votes from those states would be awarded to the presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and DC).

Because of state-by-state enacted rules for winner-take-all awarding of their electoral votes, recent candidates with limited funds have concentrated their attention on a handful of closely divided "battleground" states. In 2004 two-thirds of the visits and money were focused in just six states; 88% on 9 states, and 99% of the money went to just 16 states. Two-thirds of the states and people have been merely spectators to the presidential election.

Another shortcoming of the current system is that a candidate can win the Presidency without winning the most popular votes nationwide.

The National Popular Vote bill has passed 21 state legislative chambers, including one house in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, North Carolina, and Washington, and both houses in California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The bill has been enacted by Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, and Maryland. These four states possess 50 electoral votes-- 19% of the 270 necessary to bring the law into effect.

See http://www.NationalPopularVote.com

susan

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

trogers — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:18:45 GMT

Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin have much to be ashamed about, but losing West Virginia won't add to the disgrace tally. The Jerry Springer wing of the Republican party will deliver West Virginia to the McCain/ Palin ticket. For Gods sake she has a pregnant, unmarried teenage daughter, she can field dress game, and her husband races dogs when he is not busy fighting like one with his brother in law. West Virginia is McCain/Palin country and they will stand up and vote for the dysfunctional family values so evident in the Palin clan. The inbred Republican message of fear and loathing fits the McCain/Palin campaign like a glove, and West Virginia gets it. The enemy is near, the danger is clear. West Virginia will not be fooled by a terrorist; the cause will live on; McCain /Palin will carry the day; and God's will will be done.

re: Should McCain Worry About West Virginia?

Jackelope — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:56:22 GMT

I'm glad this article wasn't about race. West Virginians get slammed by the press who automatically assume they won't vote for Obama because he is black. West Virginians aren't as backwards as people like to think or joke about. Most of the voters in WV are in, more or less, suburban settings. There are a number of educated people living in the Charleston-Huntingon corridor, the Clarksburg-Morgantown corridor, the Winchester-Martinsburg-Hagerstown corridor and in clumps around places like Parkersburg, Wheeling, Weirton. These voters are easily up for grabs if anyone cares to go on the campaign trail for them -- Clinton did; Obama didn't. He lost -- it was a no-brainer. He didn't lose because he was black; he lost because he didn't spend any time there at all.

The blue-collar voters of the past who always voted Democratic have had to leave the state for jobs elsewhere. The WV economy was based heavily on coal, natural gas, steel and timber. Fewer workers are needed for those industries now and many of the WV blue-collar voters of the past have left for places like North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida or the military.

Is it worth either Obama's or McCain's time to go campaigning in WV? If you look at the map of Electoral College votes and tally up the results from polls, then, of course, the answer is no. However, no state should be ignored by a campaign. Even one trip through the state is important as no trip through the state means that they were shunned. It's arrogant for any candidate to think they have a state locked up, and equally stupid for them to think they cannot win it.

Even for those WV voters who don't live in a suburban setting, Obama can still claim victory if he would like the chance. Rockefeller and Kennedy went trudging through hollows for votes. Those people appreciated that somebody recognized that they existed and came to see them. I can tell you that THAT kind of campaigning goes a long, long way in WV. Unlike suburban settings, these people talk to each other every day -- if even a couple of them like you, they will talk positively about you for days and days on end.

WV isn't backwards, it's just different. And, WV is worthy of a visit from Obama.