I'm not sure how competitive WV actually is. But one thing I am sure of. Palin's stand up routine only works in limited venues. Where Larry the Cable Guy can't sell tickets, Palin can't draw crowds.

She just likes West Virginia. Reminds her of home.

Which has the most clout: Sarah Palin's wink or Robert Byrd's endorsement?

Danp, you may be right that WV may not be that competitive. But its competitive enough they have to spend some time in a state that should have been firmly Red months ago,which is good enough.

There's been one person here who has been arguing that WV would almost certainly go for Obama since April, pointing out their Congressional History and traditional Democratic record -- who has reminded people that they haven't voted for a Republican Senator in his long lifetime, haven't had a Republican majority in the House since he was 5 months old, who has argued that despite the racism in some parts, they are very susceptible to economic issues and classic FDR-style liberalism, and who blames the DLC strategy for abandoning them.

Can't remember the guy's name, but he writes these long-winded posts and comes from Brooklyn.

As a native West Virginian living in Columbus, OH I am encouraged to hear that WV is suddenly becoming competitive. My sister e mailed me about it this morning.

In fact, WV has been overwhelmingly Democratic until bush showed up and played the social conservative card against Dems. WV is uniquely positioned, socially conservative, sometimes fundamentalist Christians, but unlike the south still leaning Dem because of the colonial coal industry.

The best thing that could happen now would be for the Clintons to make a trip through WV. That would turn the table for Obama.

It's been interesting to watch the gap close in WV--something that many have predicted all along, here and at other blogs. John Cole and other West Virginians have had a lot of worthwhile insights on that state's political habits.

Having lived in WV for the past 10+ years, I think it is optimistic to base hope on one ARG poll and a Palin visit. And yes, it is primarily a Dem state. But the Dem party is truly a big tent, and Obama hasn't spent much time in this corner of it. I would describe WV as primarily Reagan Dems who don't change party because their great-great grandfathers would roll over in their graves if they did.

Meanwhile, I would have loved it if Palin had tried to utter some of her nonsense at the Wachovia Center in Philly last night, instead of just dropping the puck and running.

The recent economic downturn has shoved social issues to the back of the line. In addition, the eastern panhandle of West Virginia now has many people who either work in or have emigrated from the more expensive Washington, D.C. area (there is daily commuter rail service from Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry). While they aren't quite as liberal as their D.C.-area brethren, they do give that fast-growing part of the state a bluish tint.

I expected Obama to make a decent run here, once some elements of the electorate got over that 1) he was black, and 2) wasn't a Clinton.

In addition, the eastern panhandle of West Virginia now has many people...

I would point out , however, that the EP is the most Republican part of the state. It is also the one part of the state that didn't want to secede from the confederacy, and we have a Rep congresswoman who is closely tied to Delay, oil, Indian casinos (there are virtually no Native Americans in WV) and most especially the banking industry. Yet polls show her way ahead of Anne Barth this year. Barth, by the way, is a great candidate, and a top aide to Robert Byrd.

Which election is Palin campaigning -- 2008 or 20012?

In the short history of West Virginia (1863), no Democratic Presidential candidate has won the general election without West Virginia's electoral votes. If Al Gore had won West Virginia in 2000, then the outcome in Florida would not have mattered.

Sen. Clinton has quietly made a couple of campaign appearances in WV since the convention, and she seems to be winning some folks over. The big story, however was the NRA coming to a Blacksville, WV mine site to film UMW workers speaking out against Obama. The film crew attempted to persuade mine workers to recite scripted lines...and the last thing West Virginians like is for outsiders coming in and trying to put words in their mouth.

http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=44752&email=1

Wasn't Palin campaigning in Montana recently? Another very red state.

"Which election is Palin campaigning -- 2008 or 20012?"

Eggactly. She's aligning the base for her own interests.

I agree with the posters who state that Palin is just too toxic for battleground states. I think the campaign fears that her presence would draw more protesters than supporters.

She only works where she can draw big crowds of supporters with limited opposition.

Its a bad move by McCain-Palin. Everywhere she goes, Obama's numbers sky-rocket. I'd be sending her to NY, Massachusetts, and California if I was them. At least losing those states doesn't screw up their electoral math.

John Cole and other West Virginians have had a lot of worthwhile insights...

Speaking of Cole.
The guy has had two incredible posts of late:

1) On Arabs:

An Arab is a native speaker of the Arabic language, which is akin to Hebrew. The Arab civilization is one of the more glorious in world history, having bestowed on the world great scientific and cultural achievements. Arabic is spoken...

2) On semitically named heroes

Barack is a Semitic word meaning "to bless" as a verb or "blessing" as a noun. In its Hebrew form, barak, it is found all through the Bible. It first occurs in Genesis 1:22: "And God blessed (ḇ�reḵə ) them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth." Here is a list of how many times barak appears in each book of the Bible...

Quite hard to believe that Republicans are actually making fun of a candidate's name. Astounding really...
When is someone with some national clout going to compare them to the bullies that do this sort of thing in middle school?

Why would anyone make fun of Obama's name?

"
"In addition, the eastern panhandle of West Virginia now has many people..."

I would point out , however, that the EP is the most Republican part of the state."

Not true. Last election there was one county in the north-central area which was about 100% R (probably rigged) and Wood County where Parkersburg is has been very R for some time and the area between the state capital Charleston and the second-largest city Huntington known as Teays Valley is also largely R (many Charlestonians moved there to get away from the city).

"It is also the one part of the state that didn't want to secede from the confederacy, and we have a Rep congresswoman who is closely tied to Delay, oil, Indian casinos (there are virtually no Native Americans in WV) and most especially the banking industry. Yet polls show her way ahead of Anne Barth this year. Barth, by the way, is a great candidate, and a top aide to Robert Byrd.

Posted by: Danp on October 12, 2008

That congresswoman is sort of a special case since she is the daughter of a former R governor. She's also not very bright. Yet she is probably the Repubs best chance to get someone in place to become a senator.

And, you might want to check the polls again. The latest one I've seen showed Capito-Barth to be dead even!

koreyl -

You're getting Juan Cole (who lives in Michigan and runs the site juancole.com) confused with John Cole (who lives in West Virginia and runs the site balloon-juice.com). Two totally different people, though both interesting reads.

And, you might want to check the polls again. The latest one I've seen showed Capito-Barth to be dead even!

I'm guessing you are referring to the R2K poll that showed Capito leading 53% to 39%, but where a commenter at wvablue found someone who challenged the internals, then recalculated the results to suggest a 46/46 tie.