Take me home, country roads: And in conclusion

[theboss]

I've liked writing these little tales about my homeland. But, I'm glad that we are also about to slink back into the obscurity that we are used to. (See you at the next mine collapse!!!)

Anyway, some final thoughts.

1. It's actually not as bad as I thought it would be. 26 percent is just a ridiculously low number, but Hillary ain't going to crack 70, which I thought she would. Still, it's an ass-whippin'. I don't think the Obamas will be skiing at Snowshoe anytime soon.

2. I've repeatedly try to downplay the racism angle on this. And I still want to defend West Virginia. But there was definitely some -ism at play here. And it doesn't exactly speak well of the state.

(But let's not play games. A pretty comfortable portion of Hillary's vote wasn't going to vote for a black guy if he was running against Stalin. I was in the state this weekend and heard a few pretty ugly things. If I had to put a raw number on it, I would call 15 percent the anti-n----r vote. That seems to be the difference between what Hillary usually gets in this type of demographic and what she is going to get tonight).

3. I don't completely understand DNC rules. How on earth is Obama going to get 7 delegates out of this curb-stomping? We've turned fairness into insanity as a party.

4. I don't think Kentucky will be quite this bad. It has a few cities. It has some black people. It has some college grads.

5. Hillary has to stop and ask herself what exactly did she accomplish tonight. She humiliated what is almost assuredly the eventual nominee. The question is: Did her win tonight do anything to help the Dems defeat McCain in November.

6. Onto Oregon. The Supers have to end it there, I think. I don't know who can play Barry Goldwater to Hillary's Nixon but someone has to tell her its over at that point so we can get into general election mode. I can't see any scenario in which we can win if there is no nominee until late August. You can't give an opponent a four month head start in national politics.

7. One final reason: Why I love West Virginia.

Right now, somewhere in Tokyo, someone in a karaoke bar is singing Take Me Home, Country Roads.

[sandnsea]

1. Same way she got delegates when he stomped her

And he stomped her just as bad in many more states. You have to really stomp it to take all the delegates. Everybody has their voice heard. Proportional.

And we have to figure out why people choose to believe lies. The same reason they chose Hillary is the same reason they believe Bush. I think it has to do with a lot more than just race.

[theboss]

6. I don't think West Virginians believe lies. They just vote for what is most comfortable

Joe Manchin is governor because he has a famous name.

Granted, the name is famous because his uncle was impeached...but it's a famous name.

Capito is a Rep because of her daddy.

Mollahan is a Rep because of his daddy.

Rahall has been in since '77.

Byrd has been in since 1906.

Rockefeller is a Rockefeller.

[sandnsea]

7. Wright, gas tax, Hillary is honest

:shrug:

They just believe what is easiest?

[theboss]

10. Sort of. We listen really really really really well to authority figures

We have more veterans than college grads. We have a lot of union members. And I think we prefer the Old Testament God to the New Testament God.

What this means is we are not trained for critical thinking. We are trained for listening to authority figures.

When as ex-president comes in and tells us to vote for his wife...and the other choice is this black guy with a weird name...we follow the ex-president.

[sandnsea]

12. Okay, I get it

Now we have to figure out how to turn that information to our advantage.

[theboss]

18. A veteran or really well-known running mate could help there

I think Webb would be an overall awful choice for VP (I love him, but I think he's insane). However, he would lift the ticket in WV.

I don't think Hillary would elevate Obama that much in WV to be honest.

Obama-Sebelius would lose to McCain by thirty points, I fear.

Edwards is a Southerner but we don't really like Southerners all that much, and Edwards is thought of as a lightweight.

Biden would play great in WV.

I actually think Bill Richardson would do all right.

Clark, I think, would be ok. But I don't think he is that popular in veteran circles. I think he might not go over so well in the VFW in Hurricane.

Honestly, Tim Kaine might be great.

I think the question is, how important is WV in the overall scheme of the national election?

[sandnsea]

30. I'm thinking more message than messenger

How do we convince people there are better ways to mine, log, and farm; better ways to teach; better ways to discipline kids; when change is seen as disrespectful to past generations and doesn't work half the time anyway. Or that smacking down your enemy isn't the only way to resolve a problem. Authoritarianism is a lot simpler, even though it doesn't work and they should be able to look around and see it doesn't work. But it's imperative we break through, and "get an education" isn't going to work. We're going to have to show them how they can keep their faith and values while moving into a technological world.

[theboss]

31. In other states, yes. In WV, messenger almost always trumps message

I know I'm painting a less than flattering portrait, but WV politics are highly unusual.

[sandnsea]

44. Western states too

But independence is the name of the game out here, suspicion of government. There's the same self-reliance I suspect exists in WV, but not as much religion. I think people are still measured by what they can accomplish because there is still more dependence on your neighbor, what with the blizzards and distance between towns and ranches. Plus there's just no holdover from the Civil War. People wonder about how the ME can hold grudges for centuries, and can't see we've got the same problems.

[Cruzan]

35. Great distillation (heh)! Thanks.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

38. I can see the "Hillary is honest" angle.

She's been pretty honest lately about how she's whiter than Obama. :shrug:

[k8conant]

36. And Capito's daddy went to jail (former Governor Arch Moore)

Ann Barth better beat her in November.

[theboss]

39. Arch Moore is the only Republican my family ever supported

Though not in the 80s

[FrenchieCat]

2. Great post!

We will have to work on West Virginia.....and bring those who need it into the 21st century!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. He had enormous wins in the likes of Kansas so.....

[Twillig]

4. Yeah, and Hilljack will get some from Oregon too.

15 miles outside of any town and it's Banjo country.

[WA98070]

9. Deleted double post

[sandnsea]

15. Obama won every county in Washington

and I expect will do just as well in Oregon.

[WA98070]

16. He won the caucus and the no count primary

[WA98070]

14. Except Seattle, 15 miles outside of town is "Elite" Obama Microsoft Territory....

We have college degrees and make more than 50,000 a year.

[quakerboy]

19. Hey now

I went awandering outside of the city today. Saw a good number of Hillary signs. Saw a more Obama signs. Didn't know democrats could get signs that big, thought those were reserved for Ron Paul out there.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. I agree with you as to gaining anything, it is a pyrrhic victory

if she broke 70, though she needed 75, then she'd have a point

As to them crazy rules... proportional representation... and I'd love to see that for Congressional elections. Ah third parties would suddenly play a role

That said, the place may be beautiful, but I don't think I want to even visit as a tourist.... I mean I am one of them minorities with a darn cute accent... (and that goes for a good extent of the south)

[theboss]

8. This is the misconception: You would be overwhelmed by friendliness there.

You may get an odd look at the occasional gas station, but by and large, I am sure you would be treated wonderfully in WV. Everyone would just assume that you were a doctor of some kind.

[casus belli]

11. So they overwhelm you with fake smiles?

But vote their true feelings. That is, in my opinion, the worst racism of all. The kind that masquerades itself behind the "I ain't racist, I got lots of colored friends" logic.

[theboss]

13. Black with an accent? Doctor

I'm telling you: It's a fucking odd state.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. My hubby told me a story from when he was in the Navy

it is about ten years old... but it is a damn scary story. You see he is white and he went to the home of a ship mate of his who happened to be black. They were pulled by the cops, local sheriffs, and he was pulled out of the car violently. Yep, the cops thought he was somehow kidnapped by the boy driving the car. They let them go, and somewhat apologized after they saw the DOD cards. Not that the thing stopped once they got home. He was the first white boy to visit the place and grand pa kept an eye on him for the whole weekend, though they made sure he ate, and ate well.

It was on one of them back roads, and it was very similar to one a professor of mine told my class about the 1960s... though the one in the 1960s people he knew got severely beaten by the local sheriff for trying to register people to vote.

Unfortunately we are as guilty of this state of affairs as the south... to be brutally honest... and I have no solution to the problem except increasing education funding and jobs opportunities and bringing the old confederacy to the 21st century, (Not that certain parts of the county I live at I will not visit for similar reasons) So it is not that deep racism and fear is limited to the south... not at all. To say that would be a crazy stereotype... but the stories make me leery... even if I know some of the citizens of the south are great citizens... such as my history professor and President Carter. But racism is a reality we will have to deal as a a country. ANd perhaps we will finally go there and finish that job and deal with the last of the remnants of slavery.

I hope that the kids... the much maligned millenial generation, means it when they say they don't see race.

[theboss]

21. Did this happen in WV?

I could be wrong, but I don't know of any Freedom Rider type episodes in our history. I know that we were technically a segregated state, but I'm not sure how strictly that was enforced.

I know we intergrated schools much quicker than most "southern" states. I'm not sure if my part of the state (the north) ever really had true segregation. I know my local high school had black students as early as 1960 because Fritz Williams played basketball there.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. My hubby's story was in WV, my proff's Mississippi

and as I said, we have our share of White Supremacists in San Diego County in California... and there are areas of East CO I will not go to. Metzger might be gone... but not his boys.

[theboss]

25. I'm sure it happened. What part?

It had to be deep in coal country for there to be:
a) insanely stupid and racist police and
b) black people.

We never had a lot of Bull Connors...mostly because there is no one to turn the dogs and firehoses on.

[John Q. Citizen]

40. WV wasn't exactly suited to plantations.

[nadinbrzezinski]

45. Deep in coal country... I just know the story scared me

Not more or less than our lovely East County...

At least the cops cannot get away with that, often.

[1awake]

20. I agree whole heartedly ,

but then it greatly depends on what part of West Virginia you go to because they can be as different as night and day. Going to Wheeling would bring a different experience than say.. Logan; neither would be bad, but vastly different all the same.

[theboss]

22. Like anyone would volutarily go to Logan....

I kid. I kid.

Seriously, is there any reason on earth for visiting Logan?

[1awake]

26. no..

but I was trying to be nice just in case you were from there or near. I wouldnt send my worst enemy into those woods unless armed.. and even then...

[theboss]

28. Good basketball teams though, right?

At least once upon a time.....

Here is an "Only in WV" story.

My uncle was on a state runner-up basketball team in the early 70s. They played the AA powerhouse that I can't recall. Shit, they won a ton of titles back then and don't exist anymore.

Anyway, I was reading his scrapbook and the Wheeling News Register's story on the game pointed out that the winning team had an all-black starting lineup.

[1awake]

33. Not much of a basketball follower myself,

I usually follow High school football though. Seems you are in the same general area I am. I grew up in the Northern panhandle (where I eventually moved back to raise my kids). I am an obligated Bruins fan since thats where I finished High school at. I almost forgot how at least here, the towns fly the school colors up and down every street all year round in support of their school teams (not sure if they do that other places).

[John Q. Citizen]

24. A couple of points; Well more than a couple

1. Yes, Sen. Clinton under-performed expectations.

2. Racism is most effective as a top down phenomena.

3. It's a combination of both DNC and state party rules how delegates are apportioned.

4. Kentucky will be more competitive.

5. Obama is closer to the nomination and Sen. Clinton is farther after tonight.

6. My guess is that the supers will continue to move to Obama in sufficient numbers that he crosses the 2024 mark on June 3rd with the voters of SD and MT putting him over. That way it's the voters and not the supers who nominate our next president.

7. The song is better as reggae with "West Jamaica" substituted for the original words. I've never been to either place, but if I had the opportunity I think I'd choose the Island.

Does West Virginia get many Japanese tourists?

[theboss]

27. The Toots and The Maytals version is great

I don't think we get many Japanese tourists. But the song is popular there for reasons I don't really understand.

Here is wikipedia's explanation. Take it as you will.

Popularity in Asia
The song (and writing alternate lyrics to it) is a plot point in the 1995 Japanese animated film Whisper of the Heart from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.<4>

[charlie]

32. It's easy to sing

and it's major-key happy. Two big pluses for an island where maybe 1 in 200 can actually sing :D

I'd never been dragged into a bar where the karaoke machine wasn't stuffed with middlebrow dreck. The only way I could have any fun with the snoozeriffic songs was to ham it up, sing like Ol' Blue Eyes one minute, Elvis the next.

[Withywindle]

43. It was the first song my mom and I heard in the taxi

leaving the airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Considering I grew up in Southwestern VA (and Mom still lives there) it registered a 7.9 on the surreality scale. :)

[swishyfeet]

29. Your little tales were the best of the day. Every one of them.

Good on ya boss!

[anonymous171]

34. It's racism as much as it is familiarity with Hillary, IMHO

[Blondiegrrl]

42. I would agree, based on my experience here in WV. n/t

[grantcart]

37. You have served your state well - I really enjoyed your reports

Based on your reports I would expect that should Obama become President then when it comes to 2012 he could well have record numbers in WV because by that time he will no longer be an unknown quality.

Thank you for being so articulate on such a complex issue.

[Blondiegrrl]

41. I would estimate that if you eliminated the racist vote, Hillary's victory would be

a margin of 15 percent.

She has her genuine supporters, no doubt. (By "genuine," I mean the people who are voting for her because they truly think she's the better candidate.) But I've been a West Virginian all my life, and I can say without a doubt that racism was indeed a factor in the blowout. Not so much anti-black, but anti-Muslim. Yes, despite it all, many West Virginians INSIST that Obama is a Muslim, and therefore a sleeper-cell terrorist.

What a sad, sad, state I live in.

*sigh*

[theboss]

46. I think the Muslim factor hurt more than anyone can know

I wish that was an exit poll question.

I can think of five teachers I know in WV who are convinced he is a Muslim.

[cali]

47. The Obamas come ski at Stowe

or Stratton or Killington or Smuggs or.... Here in even whiter, equally rural VT, Obama won by 21 in a primary.