An Atypical Playing Field: West Virginia ranks last in median household income.

[Stop Cornyn]

West Virginia ranks last in the nation with 16.9% of West Virginians 25 years and over who have completed a bachelor's degree.

West Virginia ranks last in the proportion of high school graduates.

West Virginia ranks last among the states in the percentage of foreign-born residents (1 percent, again), and last again in the percentage of residents who speak a language other than English in the home.

In West Virginia, every 10th adult has had a heart attack or suffers from coronary artery disease, with or without symptoms of angina, according to a CDC survey. No state has a worse record.

West Virginians are more likely to report "severe psychological distress" than people in any other state.

West Virginia ranks last in health insurance coverage for women.



Clearly, West Virginians are atypical from voters in other states in some key respects.

Perhaps they are less comfortable with a candidate who lived abroad. Perhaps they responded to Hillary's superior health care plan, one of the very few policies where Hillary offers a better plan than Obama. Perhaps their mean level of education played some role.

Who knows?

On to Oregon where few of these same peculiarities among the population plays such a role!

[ShortnFiery]

1. Yes, never since the Robber Barons of the 1920s has "The Rich been RICHER" and

conversely, "The Poor been Poorer."

Again, Obama was not near as "well known" as HRC. I honestly believe that if he spent more time in WV (and with a good running mate), he could win the state.

The people of WV are suffering and trying to make ends meet. :shrug:

[Pirate Smile]

2. An AP reporter on MSNBC just made a good point. WV non-college educated

voters have less $$$ and resources. There are also a lot of them. They probably don't know that much about the new guy.

What they do know is the Clinton name and that things were economically better in the 90's. This is a perfectly rational and non-race based reason for the large Clinton win. This rationale applies to this same demographic in others states as well but it is certainly more pronounced in WV because there are just a lot of people there who fit into this category.

Obama's not campaigning there also meant fewer people became more familiar with him which just adds to the reason for the blowout. I can certainly understand why Obama didn't focus on WV. Even campaigning there would have probably yielded only small results. I don't think it can be denied though that race was an issue for at least 20% according to the exit polls. One thing that was interesting :( about WV was how willing people were to just put the race stuff right out there when talking to reporters.

I do like having a non-race based reason to help understand the results. I have found the primary run up to WV rather sad and depressing.

[Stop Cornyn]

4. i agree.I much prefer a non-racist explanation for the atypicality of the WV voters.

[anonymous171]

5. The race angle is being pushed by the media and certain Clinton surrogates

In reality it's more about familiarity with the Clinton brand that draws them to Hillary.

[Pirate Smile]

6. I do wonder how many of these voters were voting in the Primary.

"...in West Virginia, there are a lot of Democrats who did not vote for John Kerry (nor for Al Gore). Specifically, 30 percent of West Virginian Democrats voted for George W. Bush in 2004, which I'm pretty sure is the highest figure in the country."

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/05/clinton-wins-west-virginia.html

[Stop Cornyn]

7. I'm sure you're right. I'm sure WV has its share of black mayors and black state gov. politicians...

[FrenchieCat]

3. I'm sad for them.

[Writer]

8. Atypical, but I could have sworn that these are the people our party is supposed to represent. nt

[Stop Cornyn]

10. Just because we represent them, that doesn't mean they automatically choose us. Unrequited love is

still love.

[anonymous171]

11. Represents both.

Don't let them divide us over this kind of BS

[smalll]

12. Exactly. I was just about to make the same point.

Poor people - not exactly the Democratic base in the minds of too many young Obamatrons. Psst kids: historically, most people don't become Democrats for the sole or main purpose of getting some hipster-cred brownie points.

[jillan]

9. And your point is?

Do you think you are somehow better than them?

If this is how Obama supporters think, no wonder why he got a spanking in WV.

[Stop Cornyn]

13. No one said anyone was better than anyone. If a state is atypical, then the results aren't very far

reaching in their implications.

Not only am I not better than West Virginians, I'm not even more typical then them, which is why I supported Kucinich early on.

"Atypical" isn't an insult.

[JanusAscending]

14. I couldn't believe my ears this morning !!!

While watching MSNBC around 11:00 A.M. Monica Navatni (sp?) was on a phone interview with WV's Sec. of State. she was inquiring about the turnout, and if there were any voter irregularities. This person said something to the effect that..........the voting was steady, no problems so far, but "we have to take into consideration that this is a first for the country. It's the first time we've had to choose between a woman, and a .......BOY....!!!!!?????:wtf: Don't ask me for a link, I don't have one, and I heard it with my own ears. Maybe they have a screen capture or something at MSNBC. Monica N.'s jaw dropped, but she let it slide. I can't imagine what was going through her mind, but it pissed me off. How dare this piece of crap dare call Barack "BOY". If this the mentality of the State machine, it's not surprising that he lost!! Did anyone else by chance catch this show this morning. I'll tell ya, the air was blue in my house from my cussin' at the TV!!!

[Stop Cornyn]

15. I hope you misheard that.

[JanusAscending]

18. I am 100% positive that I heard just that!

It's a kick in the head, ain't it?

[Stop Cornyn]

21. Yikes!

[dkf]

16. I wonder what the level of internet access is...

[Stop Cornyn]

17. WV ranks 46th out of 50 in internet access.

[nebula]

19. Battered wife mentality.

judging by their voting patterns you would think they were the richest state in the nation.
but is actually the poorest.

its like a Jew voting for Hitler.

[Cali_Democrat]

20. I really feel sorry for the people of West Virginia

They are an angry and xenophobic bunch indeed.