Clinton wins West Virginia, decisively
By Scott Helman, Globe Staff
Even with her presidential hopes fading, Senator Hillary Clinton won a landslide victory in the West Virginia Democratic primary today, renewing doubts about Senator Barack Obama's prospects in states with large concentrations of white, working-class voters.
While her win does not change the dynamics of the race, the margin -- Clinton led Obama 64 percent to 28 percent with 39 percent of precincts reporting -- was striking given that much of the Democratic political establishment has already coalesced behind Obama as the party's nominee.
Despite calls from some leading Democrats to stop going after Obama for the good of the party, Clinton and her campaign yesterday sought to make the West Virginia results another referendum on Obama's electability in "swing states" that will be crucial for Democrats in November. President Bush won West Virginia in the past two presidential contests, but Bill Clinton won it twice, in 1992 and 1996.
Clinton -- who has promoted her strength among blue-collar voters, represented heavily among voters yesterday -- is also hoping her anticipated win in neighboring Kentucky next Tuesday further underscores her support among blue-collar Democrats whose preferences will be pivotal for the nominee in the fall.
"I'm in this race for the millions of Americans who know that we can do better in our country -- for the nurse on her second shift, for the worker on the line, for the waitress on her feet, for the small business owner, the farmer, the teacher, the coal miner, the trucker, the soldier," she told a victory rally in Charleston, West Va., tonight.
"The bottom line is this: The White House is won in the swing states, and I am winning the swing states."
Clinton said the hard-fought nomination fight was healthy for the party and for the eventual nominee.
"Our nominee will be stronger for having campaigned long and hard, building enthusiasm and excitement, hearing your stories and answering your questions," she said. "And I will work my heart out for the nominee of the Democratic Party to make sure we have a Democratic president."
Obama tried to divert attention from the defeat by starting his inaugural tour of general election swing states, holding an economic town hall at a clothing manufacturer in Cape Girardeau, Mo., in a largely white, working-class county Clinton won comfortably in the state's February primary. (Obama narrowly won Missouri overall.)
His speech there, which focused exclusively on the looming battle with presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, was designed to present a clear choice for the kinds of middle-class families Clinton has often won during the primaries: tax cuts for working families and retirees instead of a "tax code that rewards wealth;" health coverage for all Americans instead of "more inaction on health care;" and investments in roads, bridges, and broadband Internet instead of "a blank check to fight an endless war in Iraq."
"John McCain has decided that he is running for George Bush's third term in office," Obama told garment workers. "He has opted for the same approach that has failed the American people."
McCain's campaign responded by charging that Obama "debuted his 2008 attack playbook showing more of the same negative, partisan politics that have paralyzed Washington for too long."
With only five nomination contests remaining, Obama holds sizable leads in total delegates and the popular vote, and plans to declare victory in the pledged delegate contest after an expected win in Oregon next week. He moved closer to clinching the nomination with his big win in North Carolina and narrow loss in Indiana last week. Since then, Obama has taken the lead among superdelegates, the party leaders and elected officials whose votes will almost certainly determine the nominee. He added four more yesterday, for a total of 30 in the last week -- more than the 28 delegates at stake yesterday in West Virginia.
The Illinois senator has begun all but ignoring Clinton to focus on McCain, believing he must start engaging with the Arizona senator and introducing himself to the wider general election electorate. One measure of Obama's dismissal of the West Virginia results was his decision not to speak after the polls closed tonight, as has been customary in past primaries.
Continuing his first tour of general election states, Obama is scheduled Wednesday to make three stops in Michigan, including Macomb County, which came to represent "Reagan Democrats," working class white voters who deserted the Democratic Party in 1980. Next week he is scheduled to travel to Florida, another fall battleground.
Clinton and Obama both plan to campaign in the coming days in Oregon, where 52 delegates are at stake in the state's Tuesday primary; 51 delegates will be awarded in Kentucky. The final three contests are Puerto Rico, which votes June 1, and Montana and South Dakota, which vote June 3.
Tonight, Clinton declared, "I am more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has had a chance to make their voices heard."
But nowhere will the voter demographics be as conducive to a big Clinton victory as West Virginia.
According to preliminary results of exit polls, four in 10 West Virginia voters were over age 60, and nearly all voters were white; about seven in 10 lacked a college degree -- the highest proportion yet in any Democratic primary; and the electorate had among the lowest family incomes.
The exit polls, conducted for the Associated Press and television networks, also offered more evidence of the deepening divide between Obama and Clinton supporters. Only a third of Clinton voters said they would definitely support Obama over McCain in the fall, while half of Obama's supporters said they would vote for Clinton.
Still, Clinton's win could help on a few scores.
First, it helps Clinton cut into Obama's lead in the overall popular vote, which had stood at more than 700,000 votes. The victory could also persuade the state's uncommitted superdelegates to follow the will of their constituents and support Clinton. And it could bolster her case to be Obama's running mate, which, according to a USA Today/Gallup poll published yesterday, is something 55 percent of Democrats -- and nearly three-fourths of Clinton supporters -- said they want to see.
John Edwards, who remained on the ballot despite withdrawing in January, drew 7 percent.
Top Democrats in the state said the result was not necessarily grim news for Obama in November if he is the nominee.
"The great majority of folks are proud of the Democrats running and are going to vote that ticket in November," said Nick Casey, chairman of the state Democratic Party, who is an uncommitted superdelegate.
Casey said that the Clintons, dating back to Bill Clinton's first campaign in 1992, have a long history with West Virginia voters. He said that while Obama is well-liked -- he sold out a state party fund-raiser a couple years ago in record time, Casey said -- he is simply not as well-known.
"We've known her longer, and so our comfort level lies deeper," he said.
Still, Obama's campaign knows that if he wins the nomination, he will have work to do winning over the blue-collar crowd.
"He has got to make sure that people outside of Democratic strongholds understand he is somebody who loves his country very much and will fight for the middle class," Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri, who accompanied Obama to Cape Girardeau, said yesterday, according to the Associated Press.
Obama, she said, is "trying to show his belief that there are no red places or blue places or Democratic states or Republican states, there's just a whole lot of America that wants a different set of priorities in the White House."
Given a choice to vote for McCain or Obama--I say there is no choice and will stay home on election day in Nov.
Gee,
It's incredible how the Globe and the NYTIMES spin every single Clinton win as meaningless. The bias by these two "respected" news rags towards Obama is so blatant as to be obnoxious. I'm saying this as someone that will most likely end up voting for McCain and not a big fan of Clinton or Obama....but come on. Wheres the ombudsman?
Never ceases to amaze me that politicians are so hungry for delegates that they will kill and cut them in half rather than let them support the other candidate.
He should have spent some more time there, regardless. Go ino a coal mine-great photo op. Stay at Greenbrier-great arugula. Repent-spent time in KY.
Hillary is my man. She is the best candidate. We have experimented with
a dummy from Texas for 8 years, and the US is in the "crapper". We can not afford to experiment with a second generation Kenyon for President. Bill Clinton may have had an affair, but he balanced the budget. I assume Hillary will be as fiscally responsible as he was. What is the media afraid of?
mary schaefer
22 annapolis way
newbury, ma 01951
Hilllary, PLEASE don't quit. Mr. Obama has IDEAS, but you have EXPERIENCE. I do not think that just ideas are going to be successful, and you yourselfd know that fromyour attempts at a national health service when you were at the beginning of your first experiences in Washington.
I trust you, not him. If you are taking advantage of the system, it is because you know how it works, and THAT is how things are done - not by pie in the sky promises.
Besides, you have been to my home town and are my Senator. Please keep going!
Clinton should drop out of the race, she is only staying in to hurt the democratic party. Once she finds out that Obama gets all the votes needed, she will turn Republician....which I wonder if she is not working with the RNC now out of spite...
Someone should tell her no one likes sore lossers....... Let her pay off her debits and take a rest...like for 20 years....
That faint sound in the distance becomes louder and louder with each passing day. Yes, I think I can hear it now: it's Brunhilda singing!
SHE DID NOT WIN MICHIGAN!!!
I had no choice in Michigan. It was either Clinton (who violated the rules and was on the ballot) or "undeclared", and they made it abundantly clear that our vote WOULD NOT COUNT because no delegates would be seated for the Democrats.
I chose to cross the aisle in a Limbaugh-esque "operation chaos" of my own, and voted for Romney to try to keep the Republican race alive. I shouldn't have, in retrospect, but at the time I was told my vote on the Democratic ballot would be a waste of time.
So I gritted my teeth and took a Republican ballot. A lot of Michigan people did, because our choices were limited and our impact was negated by the DNC.
Now, after she got a bunch of votes for being the only major candidate on the ballot in Michigan, she declared Michigan a victory? People saw "Clinton, Undeclared, Kucinich" as the only choices. OBAMA WAS NOT ON THE MICHIGAN BALLOT, so she did NOT beat him. The only ones she "beat" in Michigan were "Undeclared" and Dennis Kucinich... And "Undeclared" came close to beating her!
I take that to mean that, given a choice between Hillary and nothing, almost half the Michigan Democrats chose nothing.
She didn't win Michigan, and I guarandamntee you that if Barack Obama were on the ballot in Michigan, he'd take the state without issue. Detroit and Ann Arbor alone would put him over.
Please stop backing Obama. A lot of MA natives prefer Clinton too. Count the vote in Florida!!!
This election is certainly historic for the democrats. Man versus Woman, Black versus White, Old versus Young, status quo versus new hope, dirty politics versus dignity. There is so much to be thankful for I just do not know where to begin or end. One thing I do know in my nearly 60years, I do not trust anyone who stoops to conspiracy and fear mongering, tears of convenience and underground tactics to win at all costs. True leadership is easily defined...look for a true heart with intelligent dignity and there you will find the qualities required by us to respect, support and follow.
Winning the battle and losing the war is tantamount to inconsequential.
If Hillary says Barack is unelectable; is that true because he's Black?
“White working class” people is her quote and it is polarizing.
I’ll ask you to ask yourself a question who’s the leader? I see from my perspective,
Forget Hillary because Bracak has:
Most pledged delegates
Initiated a grass roots movement into a national movement no one excepted.
Most popular votes
Senator Obama is moving on; you're not. I truly hope you will. Unity!
Include your White Coalition with Obama's other White people, young people, Blacks, independents, and Obamacans (republicans).
Hillary is a liability. Allow her to bow out with grace and dignity and bring unity, Barack.
The civil war ended in the 19th century. America lives in the 21st.
Hillary’s husband, Bill lost the White vote to Bob Dole. So people stop this polarizing. That includes Hillary and others using White unashamed, racial, overtones to fuel your Impossible Dream. Hillary today is a good day for you; if use this day 5-13-2008, and Kentucky‘s primary to urge/merge your coalition to see beyond race to the assumed presumptive Nominee, Barack Obama!
BTW: Why not have you ardent supporters pay your debts; since you’re so good at New Rules?
Also, this excitement you seem to be claiming has come from the grass roots coalition under the leadership of Obama.
I started out thinking I would register and cast my first ever vote for Senator Clintonwas. But I am now so disgusted by this "American Democracy" in which money, spin and intrigue are central, I think registering to vote is going to be a complete waste of time. I am wondering what my fellow Americans would say if money, spin and intrigue were the determinants of winners in elections in other parts of the world! I am black, and I now worry for my children. This is because, as one radio station commentator has pointed, the so called "hard working, blue collar, white Americans" in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and elsewhere actually cast their votes for candidates based on skin color! And it is terrifying to note that the bulk of people in that demographic are Catholics and Protestants - Christians! So the real America is rearing its head now - thanks to Hillary's determination to become the nominee at all costs.
Obama has nooooo clue, better to elect a tampa bay teacher for prez... if elected... life in the US will be very scary over the next 4 years. He might be able to speak well, but will never be able to think like a leader.....
It's over, Mrs. Clinton. It's o v e r ...
I started out thinking I would register and cast my first ever vote for Senator Clinton. But I am now so disgusted by this "American Democracy" in which money, spin and intrigue are central, I think registering to vote is going to be a complete waste of time. I am wondering what my fellow Americans would say if money, spin and intrigue were the determinants of winners in elections in other parts of the world! I am black, and I now worry for my children. This is because, as one radio station commentator has pointed, the so called "hard working, blue collar, white Americans" in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and elsewhere actually cast their votes for candidates based on skin color! And it is terrifying to note that the bulk of people in that demographic are Catholics and Protestants - Christians! So the real America is rearing its head now - thanks to Hillary's determination to become the nominee at all costs.
Clinton go home and take care of chealse and Bill . That guy has bnx missing ur food . It's over Hilary , don't u get it .u can't catch up .
It's time for u to hang on with President Obama so that he can help u clean the dirt in ur closeth .
"Good advice is always certain to be ignored, but that's no reason not to give it."
Dying is a very dull, dreary affair. And my advice to you is to have nothing whatever to do with it.
Democrat leaders ought to be careful!
Mr. Obama will not win General Elections. There are several strong reasons why he will not win. A simple one that ordinary voters see very troubling is his prolonged networking with "weird" like Jeremiyah. One can find other reasons too.
This is my prediction by the way, and my prediction is valid one.
Rabin
California
Dewane et al.......
Why the sexism?
I don't believe I've read a single blog about this election that did not include really terrible sexist posts by Obama supporters. Why is this even okay Mr or Ms moderator? I don't think you'd let someone suggest an occupation they consider more suitable to a canidate's race.
This Hillary supporter will never unite with those that continue to make nasty sexist comments about our Madam President.
This is no change at all, and perhaps with the odds of McCain only serving one term and our girl getting another shot...
Hillary should never quit.
Stop the Hildabeast! She's spinning out of control. First it was spinning the Superdelegates to overrule the voters, now because she thinks she might possibly win the popular vote (by counting states where Obama wasn't even on the ballot!) then it should be decided that way. Give up your cheatin' ways!
Now she's playing the race card. Dumb white folks won't vote for Obama, but they'll vote for me!
You know I would have voted for her if she played fair and won, but it's clear she'll say and do anything to get elected.
yOU ARE A WINNER HILLARY! WE WONT A TRUE FULL BLOODED AMERICAN FOR PRESIDENT. OBAMAS FATHER WASNT EVEN BORN IN AMERICA. WHAT IS PEOPLE THINKING? I AM A TRUE DEMOCRAT BUT I WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA. HE IS NOT SMART ENOUGH TO BE OUR PRESIDENT. NO EXPERIENCE. H ere in ARKANSAS WE KNOW HOW SMART CLINTON IS WE MUST KEEP BACKING HER SHE IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!
"White working class" is a demographic, just like "African American", male, female, old, young, poor, rich, Hispanic, Asian.....white or black or asian or hispanic is a demographic listed on the caucas ballots. If it is racist, it should be removed. If it is racist, TV commentators should not use it to analyze the voting patterns of voters. Why is "white working class" voting for Hillary, racist? Why isn't the fact that 95% of African Americans voting for Obama considered racist? Why isn't "old women" voting for Hillary, sexist? Why do we accept demographic descriptions of various religious groups' voting preferences?
Why do you choose to make an issue of this statement? Spin...spin...spin and ignorance. Ignorant people will fall for it and ignorant people voted in the village idiot, too.
Kermit the Frog could be the first Green colored President of the United States if he were on the ballot come November as the Democratic Prez candidate. Race, the last of worries for Americans who have some brain. Things are bad, are you better off than you were eight years ago? safer than you were eight years ago?with a Rep President, and 6 years of a Republican Congress. The answer to most people who work for a living is, a thundering No. The Republicans had a their chance to deliver to conservatives, and what did they get. The top strategist to rally religious conservatives for Republlicans turned out to be a closeted homosexual. Energy policy was, no energy plan, other than let big oil act as the Federal Reserve and dictate monetary policy. The surplus Clinton had is long history and now our government is deeply in debt to China of all places. Iran, and Venezuela keep gathering and spreading anti-US policy and in the mean time this Republican administration seems to think that ignoring the world creates stability, good will and encourages economic growth. Our foreign policy and trade policy has contributed to the energy crisis. China and India growning at 11% while our own people are faced with crunching debt and loss of housing value, and growing unemployment. It would be totally unfair to blame Bush for all the miscalculations and mis-manipulation that has created an environment that has redistributed America's wealth to big oil and old money at the expense and ruin of middle class Americans. The Republican Congress bears as much blame as Bush.
So what's my point? West Virginians want a President and a Congress that will bring home stability, minimizes the threat of hostile governments, and creates economic growth and job stability. They want a President like Obama who understands the only way for big oil and OPEC to behave is an all out assault in fielding new technologies, and alternative energy sources for Americans. Obama proposes construction of more clean coal plants, incentives for geo thermal units, ethanol and natural gas convention kts for automovite engines, and fielding natural gas and ethanol filling stations. Obama has an insight into Iran. The country responsible for the collapse of the Greek and Roman Empires. Iran is a real threat, and he understands how to deal with them. He is no a believer in cowboy diplomacy, but Reagan diplomacy, meaning our Arm Forces and Weapon Arsenal are going to have to grow to the size that can back up serious demands diplomatically. It is time to bring the Arm Forces to the size of the Reagan years.
So, as much as people want to talk about race, the truth is Americans all over this country want a President with the skill and talent to fix all the damage caused by Bush and the Republican Congress, and make our country once again the shiny city on top of the hill. It will be no easy fit. The solution may cost the next President his second term because it is not going to get pretty any time soon. I can't wait for our next President, Mr. Obama. He will be one of our greatest Presidents. Not because he is black but because his life experience, intergrity, and charisma makes him the best to solve the problems we face today.
It is amazing how the pundits and talkingheads relished in Mrs. Clinton's defeat in North Carolina last week, but now they are confounded at her decisive win in W. Virginia. Last Wednesday the Superdelegates flocked to Barack for his win in N.C, and we'll wait and see how they respond to Mrs. Clintons win this Wednesday. I am an African American female and I am appalled at how biased the media is against this woman. This woman has worked tirelessly for the past 17 months, and today, the people of West Virginia blessed her efforts with a big win. Congratulations Mrs. Clinton, you deserve it.
Just because she won the primary in WV does NOT mean WV would go dem in November. This business about a candidate winning a state because he/she won the primary is BS. Obama will win CA, NY, MA, RI; He will not win MT, WY, etc. Likewise, Billary would not win WV, KY or even IN in the general election. THIS IS WHY ITS OVER FOR HER. A state like WV and KY do NOT matter in the primary season at this point. Red states mattered early on when the nomination was open.
This is why Billary has lost. Her campaign mis-judged the dynamics of this contest early on. She thought it "belonged" to her, so she didn't campaign in smaller, rural states, and she LOST big time. Obama has a true plan to build the Democratic partyu. Bringing in new voters will render old generation "regan dems" obsolete. It's over for the Baby Boomers and their nasty politics of the last 40 years. BYE BYE
If Hillary doens't win the primary I hope she goes with the Independant party .
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