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Mountain Mama

May 13, 2008 10:18 PM

(One last blog post before my three days off.)

A not unexpected, but no less impressive victory for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., tonight in West Virginia.

Two reactions from her camp tonight that were worth noting, I thought.

One from communications czar Howard Wolfson on CNN, a well articulated explanation of their argument in these final few weeks of the official primary calendar.

Wolfson plays three roles in this one-act: the Communications Czar, the Evil Media, and the Chorus of Superdelegates.

"Senator Clinton has predicted she'd carry West Virginia against John McCain," Wolfson said. "She showed tonight just how she would do that. This isn't just a small victory. This is a huge victory.

"You know, the media has been telling voters 'Barack Obama is the presumptive nominee, it's all over, give up, don't come out and vote,' and yet in overwhelming numbers they've come out and voted for Senator Clinton tonight.

"I think superdelegates are going to look at that tomorrow and say, 'You know, let's slow this down, let's take a look at this. Can we really deny the nomination to someone who's won the key swing states of West Virginia and Ohio and Michigan and Florida and Pennsylvania. I don't think that's a good idea for our party.'"

And…scene.

(We should of course point out that the Michigan and Florida primaries were not recognized, candidates did not compete there, and Obama was not even on the ballot in Michigan, so claiming she won those states is quite a controversial claim.)

Then there's this other interesting tidbit from Sen. Clinton, who pointed out that the voters of West Virginia certainly don't consider this race to be over. And then: "Why did 64 percent of Democrats say in a recent poll say they wanted this race to continue?"

That's a bit odd, because she's citing our own ABC News/Washington Post poll there, and in that same poll, Democrats said by a 12-point margin that they preferred Obama as the nominee.

In any case, a huge victory for Clinton, one that ultimately is likely to cause Democratic agita but not any significant change in The Proverbial Math.

- jpt

May 13, 2008 in 2008: Democrats | Permalink | Share | User Comments (128)

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We support Senator Clinton splintering-off as an Independent candidate to compete in the fall for President!

She has the popular vote, electoral vote, core base, and momentum. Actions speak much louder than words - she has taken action and fought for America much harder than any other democrat.

Posted by: Kent | May 14, 2008 6:05:34 AM

Hillary proved tonight who is Presidential in her speech. Obama fell flat on his face and didn't impress the blue collar workers he was talking to. Obama rambled, couldn't answer their questionsand was boring.

Posted by: Bob4USA | May 14, 2008 5:23:20 AM

Posted by: Lawrence | May 14, 2008 4:57:36 AM

we do not denote all people of any ethnic heritage by that ethnicity. we are all americans(unless born abroad and designated with a hyphen). we can all be "americans" and still within that umbrella, which is OUR country, be, white, black, asian,mexican, korean, canadian, etc., etc., etc. the common bond is american. by hyphenating out our ethnicity, and questionable citizenship, we set ourselves up, even before meeting, as different. this goes for any group that arbitrarily adds a heritage line to america.

Posted by: rrt | May 14, 2008 5:09:37 AM

Lack of diversity = the bottom of the barrel in everything... no pro-sports. no worth education institution, no major cities, not known for anything but the the worst...is this America or some step-child of America that we lock in the basement and never talk about until now.

Posted by: Lawrence | May 14, 2008 4:57:36 AM

Posted by: Lawrence | May 14, 2008 4:30:20 AM

You may consider racism the "puss of america", but it is not all a white issue. I content that blacks by calling themselves "african americans", are themselves separating from the whole and creating their own space which is divisive. it shows a need to be different and apart, and in and of itself is racist.

Posted by: rrt | May 14, 2008 4:43:39 AM

West Virginia is American and proud of it.

West Virginians are hard working, proud, loyal Americans.

Get a grip! They do make a difference in elections and they do matter.

Every state in this country matters.

Posted by: MC | May 14, 2008 4:33:26 AM

Obviously racism in the puss of america.. let it come out to the surface, so this country can heal and move to the future.

2008 and many of you sound like you are still in the 60's...no growth in 40plus years..still thinking you are the superior race and all must bow to you. When that tornado hit you, i bet color don't matter then.

Posted by: Lawrence | May 14, 2008 4:30:20 AM

I'm sure our country aspires to be like West Virginia..NOT.. uneducated, non-diverse, and racist... WV is not a represenation of America in 2008 or America in the future

Posted by: Lawrence | May 14, 2008 4:25:28 AM

HRC's blowout was today! Not months ago.

Seems as if I remember Obama, his campaign, and his supporters all saying "wait until the American people get to know Obama" then he will win everything.

Looks as if the more the people know about Obama the worse he does. Like losing today, in a blowout.

The in-the-tank media, and all of the race-baiting, couldn't even save the savior.

Posted by: MC | May 14, 2008 4:18:22 AM

John Patrick,

Keep spreading the truth Brother...

Obama 2008!

Posted by: Davis | May 14, 2008 3:55:13 AM

I have a lot more than just that Libre,

YOU JUST DON"T LIKE THE FACTS!

Hillary fans think tonight in WV is so fantastic! Such a big win! Wow!!!

Here are a few for you from Real Clear Politics - Not fake numbers as some of you Clinton fans put up here:

State.........Obama% .....Clinton%

Virgina .....63.7 ........ 35.5

Maryland ....66.7 ........ 35.8

Nebraska ....67.7 ........ 32.3

Georgia .....66.4 ........ 32.2

Colorado ....66.5 ........ 32.3

Kansas ......74.0 ........ 25.9

Minnesota ...66.4 ........ 32.2

And there are plenty more of them where those came from... And WV is so, so, so important? Why???

And so the night is over, Hillary won a very small state big, and tomorrow it's over for her again... Hope you Clinton Fans enjoyed the party!

Posted by: Davis | May 14, 2008 3:50:02 AM

Maybe you Hillary supporter's should take a look at the margin of victory in Senator Obama's wins over Hillary. Obama's percentage on the left and Hillary's on the right!

Idaho 82.2% 17.8%
Hawaii 76.2% 23.8%
District of Columbia 75.8% 24.2%
Alaska 74.6% 25.4%
Kansas 74.2% 25.8%
Washington 68.4% 31.6%
Georgia 68.1% 31.9%
Minnesota 67.4% 32.6%
Colorado 67.3% 32.7%
Illinois 66.3% 33.7%
Virginia 64.2% 35.8%
North Dakota 62.6% 37.4%
Mississippi 62.2% 37.8%
Maryland 61.9% 38.1%
Wyoming 61.9% 38.1%
Louisiana 61.7% 38.3%
Vermont 60.6% 39.4%

I wouldn't EXPECT a Hillary supporter to know these things because the average Clinton supporter is not very bright. They don't even remember the rules argeed too at the beginning of the primary, and they are not aware that HRC plans on changing the rules AGAIN. Simply put I am sure you were NOT aware that McSame congratulated HRC on her win, but never congratulated Obama. Why did this happen? Because HRC is a POWER hungry, fatal attraction, republican tool. If she causes us to loose in November, her senate seat is TOAST.

Posted by: JohnPatrick | May 14, 2008 3:48:48 AM

The main truth is that Obama is unelectable. We need to write Hillary Clinton on the ballot and he needs to run as Independent. No Obama, no McCain

Posted by: libre | May 14, 2008 3:29:48 AM

Yes Bob4USA,

That's where all of us Democrats get our unbiased news from, some ultra right wing Republican web site."

Ya, buddy you just keep cutting and pasting all of those long boring posts from there, and we will be sure and read and believe it all...

Why don't you get us some more "truths" maybe you can hop on over to George Bush's site and copy some more BS from there too...

Posted by: Davis | May 14, 2008 3:27:43 AM

Libre

Davis 85% of Obama's base is the African American vote. Do you really buy that story about all Obama's supporters being Highly educated? The census shows a different story.


The funny thing is Barack Hussein Muhammad Obama by law is White and Arab. This is why Hammas and other Islamic Radical Extremist Groups support him and contribute large sums of money to him. He sure has the Black Panthers and his Black Liberation Church fooled. Barack Hussein Muhammad Obama is only a Black African American wanna be. He is using Black African Americans for Greed for Power, Money, to play the Race Card and Votes.

Posted by: Bob4USA | May 14, 2008 3:26:27 AM

Davis 85% of Obama's base is the african American vote. Do you really buy that story about all Obama's supporters being Highly educated? The census shows a different story.

Posted by: libre | May 14, 2008 3:07:48 AM

Davis. Look up the La Times article on Obama Laundering Money, Chicago Sun and times on the Murder Ivestigation and the numerous articles on George Soros Money Laundering. After you have read the articles who is full of BS? The facts are boring to you and other Obama supporters because you are in a total unhealthy mental emotional frenzy over your Messiah Obama.

Posted by: Bob4USA | May 14, 2008 2:54:08 AM

Davis, where do you get off calling Hillary supporters nuts? Obama's campaign and his surrogates attacked anyone who did not support him as racist. Hillary won West Virginia with a large youth vote, with an educated electorate, and Obama won blacks by only 1 percent.

All that name-calling created a resentful white electorate. What did you expect?

You ARE elitist, and that is Obama's problem - elitist supporters who will not recognize that a lot of people who do not have college educations get the work of the world done - you know, like carpenters, builders, roofers, miners, waitresses, homemakers, etc. They are not your servants. And a lot of Hillary supporters are well educated too. Many, many of us have college degrees and have even done some post-graduate work.

You'd gain a lot more support if you'd quit being disdainful of people you know nothing about who are not like you. The Democratic Party needs all the support it can get.

Posted by: 1exnewyorker | May 14, 2008 2:51:54 AM

Countallthevotes, Debra,

Wow that's a news flash!

Hmm, let's look at that demographic:

25% Over 60

50% High school education or below

95% White low income Hillbillys

Home of the "Hatfield and McCoy" voters (wonder if they still have that feud going on?), and the seat of Senator Byrd a former KKK member...

Yep, that's Clinton's demographic alright. Congrats on the big win there Hillary fans!

Yipee! Now go give some more of your hard earned money, as she was up there begging again in the first two minutes of her victory speech - yes again...

Posted by: Davis | May 14, 2008 2:36:17 AM

I'm with WV voters I find it hard to believe how anyone can vote for Obama who according to the LA Times committed the criminal act of laundering $112,000 personal income from Robert Blackwell who thru his Law Firm as an Illinois State Senator. Robert Blackwell contributed thousands of dollars to Obama's campaigns and received political favors and a total of $320,000 in Illinois State Grants as reported by the LA Times article April 27th 2008. What part of Obama committing criminal money laundering isn't understood by Obama supporters, the DNC, Supper-delegates, TV and Radio Media? Money Laundering is immoral, unethical and illegal. The punishment for laundering money is Prison time. George Soros is under investigation for several counts of Money Laundering. George Soros is one of Obama's biggest Billionaire supporters who is bundling millions of dollars in donations to Obama's Campaign funds. Obama sure can't get all those millions of dollars from 1.5 million students poor and middle class African-Americans. They don't have $2300 to give to Obama's campaign. Personally I will not risk my vote to nominate someone like Obama who is under investigation for murder of the choir director of his church and money laundering. I hope the investigations to these crimes are over soon and Obama is arrested. It would destroy the Democratic Party if Obama is nominated for President then arrested. Perhaps the Voters of WV understood this and they realized that his words are empty he can't answer a question in a straight forward to the point way because of his criminal activities and hidden agendas. This will make the Aristocratic Republican Party be in absolute pure ecstasy. Perhaps these are some of the reasons why such a huge majority of WV voters voted for Hillary.

Posted by: Bob4USA | May 14, 2008 2:35:00 AM

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