Of course, there has been massive discussion about how Appalachia votes different from the rest of the country over the past few weeks. Mapping Appalachia over the state boundaries, we see how that affected Ohio, Pennsylvania, and states further south, which all CONTAIN parts of Appalachia. But WV is squarely inside this mountainous region. There have also been very useful discussions about how we can offer to help this isolated and impoverished region out of their doldrums by making them central to a new green energy and green technology enterprise. It would afford a cultural revolution to this inward-looking enclave of mainly white residents, helping to engage them in a global effort and global economy. Anthropologists tend to study mountain regions because they preserve themselves, seemingly immune to outside cultural forces, because of their geography. But this population has not had the educational and labor opportunities that could release them and their region culturally, and provide a contribution of labor and skills for the upcoming energy programs of the 21st century. Their attitudes remain remarkably ugly towards anyone not like them culturally, racially, and economically. This involvement in a broader national and global picture, and a renewed sense of pride in themselves, would be one of the main avenues to allow them to catch up with where the rest of the country is moving or has already moved.

Oh my. Thank you for offending me and 75% of America. The Appalachians might not make as many trips to Starbucks a day or have the luxury of attending prominent private colleges- but they are intelligent, down to earth, great people- and I say this because I am one. Good luck to Obama winning over America with his and his supporters pretentious attitudes towards the foundation of this Country and the REAL democrats.

Sorry VA Liberal but that was an accurrate characterization of W VA. I know it well.

I dont look down on them-they are indeed good people. But they are also very insular and very set in their beliefs (easy to do when you wont allow other beliefs into your head). They are mostly not well-educated and most of the work opportunities dont require an education so there is little incentive to get one.

They are also very religious-again not a bad thing but with that comes the unwillingness to accept tolerace for other values and beliefs. So racism and other isms is part of their consciousness by culture in many ways.

Be offended if you wish. I often feel offended for being demonized by the right too. But the fact is that W VA was a given for Hillary and in November it will be a given for McCain for the very same reasons.

White trash is the negative phrase which best applies to W VA but no it doesnt make them bad people. They are indeed poor and ignorant. They are indeed insular. SImply accept it and either move to change that or live with it. Your choice.

"Good luck to Obama winning over America with his and his supporters pretentious attitudes towards the foundation of this Country and the REAL democrats."

Obama knows he's very weak with this demographic. With comments like the top one, it's not hard to see why. They can keep on pretending that they don't need this group of Dems to win the general election, but they do.

Many of his supporters 'cling' to their stereotypes just has hard. (as in all rural, white, working class people are stupid racists and therefore wouldn't ever vote for Obama anyway so to hell with 'em)

No, you are extremely misinformed. People that need jobs (all those "uneducated white people") - are the ones actually paying attention to the candidates, and Barack Obama has a short history of doing nothing.

He has no business running for president, and quite frankly, people that live in West Virginia are not white trash. This is a state that fought for the North in the Civil War.

White people aren't being racist in this race. Black people are. Look at the numbers in every other state. Hillary has been steadily gaining in every other demographic. The Obama hype is obviously short-lived among everyone who isn't voting just because he's black.

By the way, how many educated black people are voting? I was in Pennsylvania, and there were homeless people screaming about Hillary and how she's a B%#@#, and - lo and behold - they had Obama bags and were putting flyers on all the cars.

"White Trash," "Poor and Ignorant," you are so backwards and ignorant, despite your well-spelled opinions.

And this is why you've already lost the general election for Obama - and I hope to god the superdelegates do their job and send his corrupt, inexperienced, arrogant and offensive self back to Illinois to continue to do nothing. I don't want to sit through this in the general, nor do the VAST majority of Americans. Hillary's won EVERYONE but the black people - but go ahead, keep saying it's the racist white people, just because they (in a much smaller majority than blacks for Obama) voted for a white candidate.

I will do everything in my power, as a blue-bleeding Democrat, to keep him and his racist, offensive cronies out of office - to preserve the party, and to take a stand against ignorance.

The people who always vote, vote Hillary.

People like you are what is horribly wrong with our country, have no respect for other people or cultures, are ripping this party apart, and deserve no place in this primary. I dare you to go talk like this in West Virginia (portions of which, by the way, are within an hour or so of our nation's capital) - that would certainly do you justice.

I hate Barack Obama. He's ruining our chances, and he's already lost the general, because he lets idiots like you loose in public without noticing that the pushback is tremendous.

You're just trash.

Valiberal, who are you kidding? When over 25% of those voters said they would vote for McCain, and 14% said they would not vote, if Obama is the nominee then I can assure you they are NOT "REAL democrats", so don't pretend that they are the base of the Democrat Party...they most certainly are not...as is evidenced by their voting for Republicans more often than not! It is YOUR mentality that is distorted if you think that West Virginia reflects the rest of the country.

Fairfaxbrian, your contempt for Obama is oozing from you, but you shouldn't let that cloud your objectivity...and it clearly has. You say "He's ruining our chances, and he's already lost the general,...". Unfortunately, winning does that, it ruins the opponents chances, but that is why we have elections, so that the will of the people is represented. And no, he hasn't already lost the election, so I would hold that comment until November 5th. Grow up, your comment "People like you are what is horribly wrong with our country, have no respect for other people or cultures, are ripping this party apart.." is quite funny since it is people LIKE YOU who are doing just that! The implication is, if you don't believe like me do, you don't belong in the party. Well guess what, it is people like you who often times vote Republican, not people like "us", we vote CORE Democrat principles. Perhaps you should check them out, you may find you are really a Republican.

"Obama knows he's very weak with this demographic. With comments like the top one, it's not hard to see why. They can keep on pretending that they don't need this group of Dems to win the general election, but they do."

Clearly you dont listen to Obama-just his opponents.

Yes, Obama could do better communicating with white people but he will have plenty of time to do that when he takes on McCain. Democrats need to understand that Hillary has no support with minorities or working class people-they see her as divisive and self-serving and her lies about Bosnia and othe things dont help either. Her personality is corrosive to people and this is demonstrated in both her inability to win many states and in how she is quickly losing support from super delegates.

You are correct also that SOME of Obama's supporters-especially disenfranchised minorites-are racist and want to see a black president-it is as bad as people who just want to see a woman president-and of course both Obama and HIllary will lose some support just because of their race or sex. But the fact is at the end of the day that McCain is an old white male-the absolute perfect example of what Republicans stand for-the same ol same ol.

Obama has a much better chance of representing change than Hillary and THAT is what people want after eight years of the same ol same ol.

VaLiberal wrote the following post at 05/14/2008 9:13 AM: Oh my. Thank you for offending me and 75% of America. The Appalachians might not make as many trips to Starbucks a day or have the luxury of attending prominent private colleges- but they are intelligent, down to earth, great people- and I say this because I am one. Good luck to Obama winning over America with his and his supporters pretentious attitudes towards the foundation of this Country and the REAL democrats.

Real democrats? that vote strongly republican!

party registration in WVa for 2006: 57%Dem, 30%Rep; 2004: 58%Dem, 30%Rep.

2004 General election results: Bush 56% Kerry 43%.

here's a link to the 2004 stats PDF from the sec'y of state. (<link>)

I think that it is absolutely delusional to apply too much meaning to the vote totals here and extrapolate any strength for either candidate in November. Certaionly Clinton would run stronger here at least as of now, and likely in the fall. But I think that for the 5 electoral votes it may bring, it carries much bigger risks in larger states. Like Ohio and Pa, which everyone seems to think are Hill's to lose. Try winning with 50% of the Black vote going for McCain, and 50% of the liberal vote staying home or also defecting.

Probably they need to run together.

Unfortunately that hurts his message of turning the page.

"Clearly you dont listen to Obama-just his opponents."

Real, this is simply untrue. I don't get my info about any candidate from their opponents. I've been following both of their positions on the issues very closely.

"Democrats need to understand that Hillary has no support with minorities or working class people-"

You are right re: minorities. But she certainly has working class people, it's been one of her strongest demographics from the start.

"Obama has a much better chance of representing change than Hillary and THAT is what people want after eight years of the same ol same ol."

If that were the case, Hillary would be doing a lot worse. I certainly agree with his platform over McCain's, however.

I'm hoping he can beat McCain, I'll be one of the first in line to vote for him. The Repubs need to be sent packing.

You know as much as I would like to reply to everything you all are saying I refuse to try to talk sense into anyone who calls me and the people I know "poor and ignorant" or "white trash" ...keep talking. If it's "change" you want - dont be a democrat...because democrat to me is progressive thinking and hard working blue collar people that you know nothing about. You'll lose your fire by November. Obama wont win.