West Virginia Democrats shun Obama

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Like most people in Mingo County, West Virginia, Leonard Simpson is a lifelong Democrat. But given a choice between Barack Obama and John McCain in November, the 67-year-old retired coalminer would vote Republican.

"I heard that Obama is a Muslim and his wife’s an atheist," said Mr Simpson, drawing on a cigarette outside the fire station in Williamson, a coalmining town of 3,400 people surrounded by lush wooded hillsides.

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Tuesday’s contest is likely to reinforce Mrs Clinton’s argument that she would be the stronger opponent for Mr McCain in November, and raise fresh doubts about whether the US is ready to elect its first black president.

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No Democrat has been elected to the White House without carrying West Virginia since 1916, yet Mr Obama appears to have little chance of winning there in November.

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A visit to Mingo County, a Democratic stronghold in the heart of the Appalachian coalfields, reveals the scale of Mr Obama’s challenge – not only in West Virginia but in white, working-class communities across the US. With a gun shop on its main street and churches dotted throughout the town, Williamson is the kind of community evoked by Mr Obama’s controversial comments last month about "bitter" small-town voters who "cling to guns or religion".

"If he is the nominee, the Democrats have no chance of winning West Virginia," said Missy Endicott, a 40- year-old school administrator. "He doesn’t understand ordinary Americans."

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Most people questioned said they mistrusted Mr Obama because of doubts about his patriotism and "values", stemming from his cosmopolitan background, his exotic name and the controversy surrounding "anti-American" sermons by Jeremiah Wright, his former pastor. Several people said they believed he was a Muslim – an unfounded rumor that has circulated on the internet for months.

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Josh Fry, a 24-year-old ambulance driver from Williamson, insisted he was not racist but said he would feel more comfortable with Mr McCain, the 71-year-old Vietnam war hero, in the White House. "I want someone who is a full-blooded American as president," he said.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2a50425a-1f86-11...?nclick_check=1

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

[cmartyn 0]

"I want someone who is a full-blooded American as president,"

However; both front teeth are entirely optional.

[Teacher Mark 53]

"I want someone who is a full-blooded American as president,"

However; both front teeth are entirely optional.

I'm White, I'm from West Virginia, I have both front teeth and I'm voting for Obama (if he gets the nomination). Racism isn't exclusive to my home State though. I've heard Canadians tee off on Pakis, Natives and Eastern Indians MANY times. I've also seen more than one Canadian missing teeth and in need of a gallon of water and a bar of soap.

There's no doubt that West Virginia has a long way to go concerning race, but things are a hell of alot better than they used to be. The thing that irritates me about this article is that they headed straight for the hills and found the bumpkins. Mingo County is pure backwoods. I'd be reluctant to go there.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'd be reluctant to go there.

Why?

[Teacher Mark 53]

I'd be reluctant to go there.

Why?

Because someone might ask me who I'm voting for!

[cmartyn 0]

Ha Ha.. It takes a long time to get rid of a stereotype. More than a generation. Look at American Cars. Anyhow. I figured they looked up some real winners to ask.

[rebeccajo 14]

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/54/54059.html

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'd be reluctant to go there.

Why?

Because someone might ask me who I'm voting for!

I get asked at work. I always say McCain. I work in a very Clinton/Obama-unfriendly environment.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/54/54059.html

Wow... 75.2% of WV'ns 25+ are HS grads but only 59.6% of Mingo County residents 25+ are!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/54/54059.html

Wow... 75.2% of WV'ns 25+ are HS grads but only 59.6% of Mingo County residents 25+ are!

Wow... only 1 building permit in all of 2006!! The entire state of WV had 5645.

[rebeccajo 14]

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/54/54059.html

Wow... 75.2% of WV'ns 25+ are HS grads but only 59.6% of Mingo County residents 25+ are!

Right.

Every state has it's 'less than glowing' regions.

Really, for all the debate about West Virginia and whether or not the residents will vote for a black man or a woman, there is only one difference between WV and many other 'heartland' states, and that difference would be the relative size and population of West Virginia. Land mass wise it's pretty small (say versus Ohio and Indiana) and idoes lack any large metropolitan area with a concentrated population.

I live on the Ohio border, and have spent a lot of my life traveling around it. I can tell you there is NO difference between the thinking of an average working class Ohioan and a West Virginian. Even though Ohio also went for Clinton, statewide polling would give one a 'better' picture of how Obama ranks in that State because a) they have a larger population and B) they have a couple of large metropolitan areas with a more diverse population.

I'd go so far as to say much of the finger-pointing towards bigotry as 'personified' by the West Virginia electorate goes likewise for many, many areas of many, many states. But their residents don't just have the nerve to stand up and admit it. WideAwake and I have admitted it; we've also indicated that the opinions of those folks we share a border with don't represent the opinions of the entire population.

Edited May 12, 2008 by rebeccajo

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

rebecca, there are towns in Jersey I wouldn't dream of buying property in. Racism is certainly not endemic to WV.

[rebeccajo 14]

rebecca, there are towns in Jersey I wouldn't dream of buying property in. Racism is certainly not endemic to WV.

Exactly. And thanks for acknowledging that, btw.

Personally, I think the GOP is counting on racism and sexism to lead them to the White House in 2009. You've got to admit, the DNC is taking a huge historic step by putting up a candidate that is either going to be female or black. And I think that's one reason we aren't hearing a whole lot from the Republicans about their platform or issues. They don't care - they think the whole thing will just wash their way in the fall.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

We'll see Tuesday, I suppose, how much pull Mingo county has in WV.