Almost Heaven, West Virginia

Hillary wins huge in West Virginia, with a 67-26 margin that doesn't count since it delivered by was older white people, some of whom are the sort of racists that would send a former Klansmen to the US Senate.  The critical significance of this result is explained by Matt Yglesias:

As the Clinton campaign sagely points out "no Democrat has won the White House without winning West Virginia since 1916" and therefore Obama's primary loss shows that despite his large lead in the polls over John McCain, he can't possible win the election.

What's even more interesting is that no Democrat has won the White House without carrying Minnesota since 1912 (it went for Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose party) so given that Obama won Minnesota and Clinton won West Virginia, McCain is guaranteed to win the general election unless the eventual nominee can somehow completely replicate the social and political conditions prevailing in pre-WWI America. The outlook, in short, is very grim.

If a vigorous discussion of Hillarity's renewed hope cannot hold people's attention, help me with this equally portentouus puzzle: is "Take Me Home, Country Roads" the best pick for state song of West Virginia (ignore this official list)?

Bonus Question - does John Denver score a second entry with "Rocky Mountain High"? 

And some real headscratchers:  First, I have a digitaly remastered version of Al Jolson singing "California, Here I Come", which can't be ruled out as a possible Best Song for California.  However, is Tony Bennet's "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" eligible?  It's really a city song, obviously, but if the judges let it in then they have to consider "New York, New York" as well.

Among Grand Champions it is very tough to beat "Oklahoma", but "Georgia On My Mind" could do it ("Midnight Train to Georgia" is a logical nominee and house fave, but we recognize our limitations, sometimes).

Some of these other states have songs that aren't obviously ghastly - Tennessee has "Rocky Top", and, if desperate, could share "Gimme a 'T" For Texas", and the Washington DC song ("Send In The Clowns") is a classic.  If folks have a great suggestion for New Jersey (A suggestion for a song) please share.  But that is where I am leaning for the big winner - Oklahoma.

OUTSIDE THE BOX:  Here it is - American President Idol!  The winner of each primary has to sing that state's song on national television.  Oh, you know that would be Must-See TV!  Must-See with the sound turned down, maybe...

Comments

[kim]

Sweet Home, Alabama.
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[daveinboca]

The MSM says she "wins" WV. She crushed and trounced the Obamanable Showman!

5 votes to 2 is an overwhelming victory. But the silliness goes on in the electronic & print media that Obama has a chance. Maybe if she is VP. Otherwise?

[Walter]

Does the overall winner get to lip-sync "Born in the USA" with the Boss?

[Walter]

Second thoughts: Since the Canal Zone is no longer in the USA (Thanks, Jimmuh!), would McCain be eligible?

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Not up on our Big Band standards: Jersey Bounce.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Here's the version by King of Swing.

[Danube of Thought]

Round on the ends and high in the middle, it's O-hi-O.

I Love L.A.

The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You.

My Old Kentucky Home.

[gabriel]

I guess its not racist when 90-93% of a certain race votes for someone of their race, but it is when far lower numbers of another race vote for someone of their race.

I think its easy to see who the real racists are in this election. Too bad the media would never dare report it.

[kim]

It'd be 'The Yellow Rose of Texas'.
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[Paul Zrimsek]

West Virginia already has a perfectly good state song. What does it want with another one?

[BumperStickerist]

just because it bears rementioning -

Senator Byrd was not simply "a klansman" - Robert Byrd opened up a *new* chapter of the Klan in a thentofore part of West Virginia that had been Klan-less.

So Robert Byrd recruited people to join a local chapter that he, Robert Byrd, was forming, filled out the local Klan affiliate paperwork, and otherwise did all the administrative tasks to form up a local Klan chapter. Which included bringing the Grand Whateverthehelltheycallit to speak at the newly formed chapter.

Byrd didn't just happen to be invited by a friend and manage to show-up at a Klan function.

[Appalled]

Georgia on my Mind is a great song, but it's not really a state song. (What are those other arms reaching out tenderly? Wierd mutant limbs from the great state of Delaware?)

[Davebo]

Just a bit of trivia.

1 in 6 West Virginians are currently receiving food stamps. The highest ratio in the nation.

But they are hard working white people.

[Gmax]

UHHH you can receive food stamps and still have a job. Dufus.

[Phelps]

Yellow Rose of Texas, by far. And the original, too, not the bowdlerized version.

[michaelt]

Davebo must think those on welfare shouldn't be able to vote. How egalitarian.

[Gmax]

DAvebo is forgetting that those non 26%ers are all DEMOCRATS, without which the Democrat party can not elect anyone nationally. White working class whites are still the largest single group in the Democrat coalition, but folks like Davebo are doing their best to run them out of the Party. Faster, please Davebo.

[Davebo]

Geez! I point out a simple fact and every decides they now what Davebo is really thinking!

Looks like the GOP meltdown has got the McGuirites a bit grumpy this morning.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

What are those other arms reaching out tenderly?

Rivals to Georgia Carmichael; Hoagie's sister, who the lyricist was sweet on.

[Don]

I can not believe they had Cheney campaigning in Mississippi. How stupid can they be? Never mind.

McSame should cancel Bush's speech at the convention, and not let Cheney into the building.

[George Ditter]

Can you have a twofer? Gladys Knight and the Pips - "Midnight Train to Georgia" California, well LA, proved too much for the man (subtext, but not too much for Gladys)so he leaving, leaving on a Midnight Train to Georgia (peaches, peanuts and J. Carter. Both states get to sneer at eachother.

[Soylent Red]

But they are hard working white people.

As has been mentioned, this is not a predictor of how "hard working" a population is, because you can receive food stamps while working a low paying job. Anecdotally for anyone who has traveled through WVa, that's probably the reality. Not to mention that the kind of low paying job available to the average WVirginian would probably make the average urban union scale job look like a day at the spa.

But what might be a better indicator is the number of welfare recipients per state.

Number of welfare caseloads by state.

As you can see, such glaring examples of backass countryness as California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio are the league leaders.

Ah, but "Larger populations!" you cry. Wrongo. WVa isn't even in the top five.

Per capita welfare caseloads by state

So Davebo, when you "point out a simple fact", please remember that, traditionally, "facts" are true.

[Jane]

UHHH you can receive food stamps and still have a job. Dufus.

And you can get them while studying for a PHD - just ask mama Obama.

[michaelt]

I point out a simple fact and every decides they now what Davebo is really thinking!

I'm just doing the job that you won't do.

[Danube of Thought]

At any given time there are a number of active-duty members of the armed forces who are receiving food stamps. I neither know nor care what Davebo is "really thinking," but if he didn't intend to be making a snide remark he sure had me fooled.

[Danube of Thought]

If you look at the scope of Obama's loss in WVa (The Campaign Spot has a nice breakdown), and recall how he did in PA and Ohio, and look at how he's polling in Kentucky, you might wonder: If he's doing so poorly with that demographic, how is he polling slightly ahead of McCain nationally?

Are a bunch of those people who reject him so overwhelmingly when he's matched against Hillary going to vote for him against McCain? Or does he more than make up for those voters with his support elsewhere?

Something seems not quite to compute with these polls...

[JB]

Are they publishing the internals of these polls?

If not, I'd take them with a grain of salt.

If yes, it would be interesting to investigate the discrepancies...

[Soylent Red]

OT, in order to lend gravitas to the ticket, I think I have found a possible Obamessiah running mate.

[Rick Ballard]

"how is he polling slightly ahead of McCain nationally?"

Gallup and Ras are showing a 1% spread. That's well within MOE so "slightly ahead" could go either way.

Do you think that the entire Muddle has a clear "picture" of Prince Hope&Change at mid-May? I don't. I think they have a clear picture of Pandergrenadier First Class McCain and he is doing well enough with them to offset the 3% (VEP) or so on the right who swear (at the moment) that they will never buy a Maverick.

I believe your predictions re November to still be very valid. BHO hit apogee on 2/21 but there is no second stage and he didn't make it to escape velocity.

[JB]

I looked at the Rassmussen Daily Tracking, and what jumped out at me was that Obama's ceiling against McCain (at least since 2/7) has been 47, while McCain's has been 51.

This may be significant. There seems to be a majority of HopeyChangey skeptics at this point. The fall season isn't going to help: Rev. Wright, the debates, 527s.

Fingers crossed...

[Gmax]

Just wanted to point out that Gallup is doing Registered voting polls and Ras says he is doing likely voters polls. Now historically, the Rs do better with likely voters than with just registered voters ( and even better than just with Adults ). Its also interesting and can be documented that polling seems to have a built in bias against the Republican candidate even with Likely voter screens. Republicans usually do about 1 - 1.5% or more better than the poll averages, so keep all that in mind.

I think Ras has bought into the Dems indentification being 10% higher than Republicans and is jigging his polls to adjust for that. Its so abnormally high, that there is no real precedent for that. If it comes back down to normal expect immediate significant improvement for McCain.

[LindaK]

Heard BO blathering in WV about the need to move our troops from Iraq to Afghanistan because there aren't enough NATO troops there. Limbaugh made fun of him because he didn't know that Afghanis don't speak Arabic, but isn't the real criticism that BO's Subcommittee on Europe has NATO oversight and it hasn't met. Even RW pointed this out in a debate, but the MSM of course hasn't run with it.

[ParseThis]

Harper's has an electoral map on how votes should be allocated.

[RichatUF]

And some bad news for the coal mining industry in WV-seems that polar bears will now have vetoes on energy policy. I can't believe that this happened during a republican administration. Maybe they should have calld it the environmentalist lawyers protection act-

[Pofarmer]

but isn't the real criticism that BO's Subcommittee on Europe has NATO oversight and it hasn't met

I think that's called avoiding answers you don't want to hear. If he actually had to hear from the NATO commanders it would really screw up the storyline.

[Danube of Thought]

No, I don't by any means think that Obama has had anything like the scrutiny he will begin to receive after Labor Day, and I really don't think that scrutiny will be helpful to him at all.

And there's always the Bradley factor...

[Danube of Thought]

It borders on the bizarre the way the Dems and the near-Left have got onto this gig about needing to move troops from Iraq to Afghanistan. While there has been some criticism from US officials, e.g. Gates, about NATO's unwillingness (and sheer inability, after 60 years of free-loading) to step up to the plate, I know of no US commander in Afghanistan who has suggested that a relocation would be in order.

The only explanation that makes sense to me is that they are simply bound and determined to see the enterprise in Iraq fail, and it they can aid in that outcome by sending resources to the "good" war, then by all means let's do so whether it's militarily necessary or not.

[PeterUK]

"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" would seem a suitable song.

[PeterUK]

"polar bears will now have vetoes on energy policy."

Those white polar bears?

[RichatUF]

Those white polar bears?

Yea, the ones down at the south pole! What should have done is release about a dozen of them on the Interior building grounds to show em all how "cute and cuddly" they really are. Idiots.

[LindaK]

BO and the rest of the Afghanistan war faction probably couldn't even find it on a map, that's how strategic it is. Didn't the Russians learn how futile conventional warfare was in the mountains of Afghanistan? Which brings back a fond memory of Dan Rather hanging out with the Afghani resistence wearing a native headdress and his official foreign correspondent quasi military get up. Geraldo without a sense of humor.

[Soylent Red]

White polar bears from the South Pole?

Probably exhibiting typical white polar bear behavior, clinging to ice floes in the face of change.

[Pofarmer]

Apparently the Dept of the Interior didn't get the memo on this years sea ice extent. Greatest in like 50 years, or some such. Also today, the House voted with the Senate to stop filling our Strategic reserves, and, in another brillint move, are defying a bill sponsered by Republicans to allow both offshore drilling and drilling in Anwar saying "We can't drill our way out of this problem."

Well, shit, we could sure try!!!!!

I'm about convinced Congress is populated by doofus's. Has anybody done an IQ study?

[Pofarmer]

I wonder if Dirk was looking at the studies that Demetris Koutsoyiannis is saying are junk when making that determination?

Link under my name.

[RichatUF]

SR-

White polar bears from the South Pole?

Maybe I should have included the /sarc tag? But I'm serious about releasing a bunch of them, hungry and mean, at the Interior building and we probably couldn't go wrong with some at Capitol Hill.

[clarice]

Ask yourself was it the class valedictorian who was elected president or the smarmy not so bright bulb who told everyone his acne was improving?

[Rick Ballard]

Pofarmer,

Isn't the window for planting corn getting a bit tight? Another week or two of rain and this year's prices will look cheap.

[Polar Bear]

Please make up your minds,is it getting warmer? If so we are turning brown gain and you know what that means?

[Ann]

John Edwards just endorsed O B A M A.

[Ann]

I should of added....SOOO WHAT!