West Virginia is IN PLAY.

[Lyric]

I am a former Clinton supporter from north-central West Virginia. All over our news lately has been the fact that Obama is GAINING here in West Virginia--in fact, he holds a slight (statistically insignificant) edge in recent polling.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Carrie Dann
*** Obama expands his lead: Three weeks until Election Day, Obama now holds a more than 100-vote lead in NBC's latest electoral map. He's ahead of McCain 264-163, with 111 votes in the Toss-up column. Last week, Obama was up 264-174. Our changes: We moved Missouri from Lean McCain to Toss-up; Oregon and Washington from Lean Obama to Likely Obama; and West Virginia from Likely McCain to Lean McCain. Something's happening in West Virginia -- yes, West Virginia -- because of the economic angst. Obama's been buying a bunch of TV time in markets that bleed into West Virginia, and the numbers have been closing for a time. By the way, political analyst Charlie Cook is moving West Virginia all the way to Toss-up. If that state is on the move, could Arkansas be far behind? Both are states that can show Democratic movement in a bad economic environment.

Somebody help me kick Obama's campaign's rear end--we're having trouble getting West Virginia Obama yard signs, bumper stickers, and buttons. The limited amount coming in have already been scooped up in a hurry. We are not NEARLY as far behind as a MSM would have us think. I am a student at WVU, and I can say firsthand--the Obama signs outnumber the McCain signs locally by an ENORMOUS margin. We're working on the southern half of the state via parents and grandparents, but the lack of signage and paraphernalia is becoming frustrating.

We CAN win West Virginia! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. This state is truly UP FOR GRABS.

This was Hillary's hallmark "working class" state. Let's get together to secure it for Obama.

:patriot:
:dem:

Edit: source for quote:

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/

[BrklynLiberal]

1. That is great news!! Won't it be great to be in a blue state for a change??

[Lyric]

3. Aw--we've been a blue state the majority of the past 50 years.

We only went red a couple of times. The change is relatively recent.

Economic trouble is a good way to get West Virginia to vote Dem. Obama needs to send Biden here and start talking about the economy--THAT will wake people up. Mention the courageous coal miners of a few weeks ago. There are few people more respected in West Virginia than coal miners, and the Repuke-owned newspapers failed to mention the stand the miners took AT ALL. God that makes me mad.

Fuck Don Blankenship and his cronies--LET FREEDOM RING IN WV! The truth will turn us BLUE!

:woohoo:

[Laelth]

15. As Colbert says, "The truth has a liberal bias." n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[BrklynLiberal]

19. Great line. The truth will turn us Blue....

[sfam]

2. To the extent West Virginia is really in play, this race is already over...nt

[Leopolds Ghost]

4. He he!

[Leopolds Ghost]

22. New poll shows Obama ahead in... North Dakota

North Dakota may be a toss up, according to a poll by The Forum of Fargo Moorhead:

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=218215§ion=news

[Amerigo Vespucci]

5. Let's take a closer look at this...

1). Americans worried sick about the economy, whether they're directly feeling the worst of it or not. In response, McCain & Palin devote the majority of their efforts to calling Obama a lying terrorist terrorist.

2). Obama, meanwhile, devotes the majority of his efforts unveiling a strategic plan for creating jobs and getting the cash flow back into working class hands.

3). West Virginia is in play.

HMMM...I can't seem to find any correlation between these random and unrelated events!

:rofl:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. GREAT news, my dear oktoberain!

K&R

:patriot:

[Tallison]

7. My understanding is that WV is left-leaning economically,

but vulnerable to the RW culture card, especially in a race with a black Democratic candidate. I'm wondering how strong unions remain in that state...

[elleng]

8. Heard that!

http://americanresearchgroup.com/pres2008/WV08.html

[DKM]

9. Good news

It's good that WVa is in play, but don't take it to have "national" meaning. WVa used to be reliably Dem. Nixon won in 1972 by less than 2000 votes, it went Dem every other time until 2000. The only reason W won it in 2000 was becuase of a massive get out the vote effort in the Wheeling/ Steubenville Ohio part of the state, where there's the core of the "Charismatic Catholic" movement. W won in 2004 because Shrum wrote it off for Kerry and Rove put resources in so W wouldn't lose it. So it's more WVa coming back home than any bellweather.

[DKM]

10. Correction

Oh yeah, Reagan won in 1984, but by a narrow margin. It went for Humphrey, Dukakis, and Clinton both times.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[Laelth]

16. Welcome to DU!

:dem:

-Laelth

[cloudythescribbler]

12. Dukakis, hardly the strongest Democratic candidate, carried WV in 88

[Laelth]

13. k&r for very good news. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth

[EC]

14. Signs just got here end of last week

so you guys should be getting yours, keep checking at DNC office..Some of us got tired of waiting and painted our own...I did the circle symbol with no words or names, I figure everyone knows what it means...

[Lyric]

17. We got an e-mail from the local DNC saying

that people in "high visibility" areas had priority for the few signs that have only *just* arrived. We aren't in a terribly visible place, unfortunately, but neither is half the county, either.

People here are hungry for more Obama. I want to figure out some way to let the campaign know without a doubt that this state DOES matter, and that people here are primed for plucking away from the GOP. They just need to see some attention. The few electoral votes that we have don't add up to much...but they're better spent on the BLUE side than on the red, ya know?

[mentalsolstice]

18. I hope so! We're dying to retire there...

While driving through the state to visit relatives in PA, we completely fell in love with WVA, and Lewisburg, in particular. Since then, we have visited as often as we can and have made an effort to get to know the locals. So far we've been impressed, they're politically active, informed, proud of their local arts, and supportive of social causes. Many residents have signs out supporting getting the troops out of Iraq as soon as possible. They have an Osteopathy school there, that seems to concentrate on providing health care to Appalachian residents.

My husband is eligible for retirement next Sept., however, he'll have another 2 years before he qualifies for Medicare (I'm already qualified for Medicare through SSDI, but right now I'm on his insurance because it's cheaper).

I never understood why WVA was considered a solid red state, except for the fact it went for Chimpy the last 2 elections. Otherwise, they have a young Dem. governor and 2 Dem Senators. They're surrounded by swing states, very unionized and influenced by the economy. I'll really be watching WVA on Nov. 4th.

[live love laugh]

20. As a native WV'n....WTG!!!! I've always been proud of my beautiful home state. Now even more. nt

[Leopolds Ghost]

21. dup n/t

[Usrename]

23. I'm watching Georgia.

It could be a win.

[4_TN_TITANS]

24. Didn't see that one coming.... n/t

[foxfeet]

25. My 78 year-old mom in WV is voting for Obama

and she's been a lifelong Republican. She thinks McCain is just a used-up, old man with no new ideas. She's pissed off even more by the recent attacks on Obama.