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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Clinton seeks to boost WV win

Posted: Monday, May 12, 2008 3:51 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
CHARLESTON, W.V. -- Hillary Clinton found dozens of supporters, and at least one of her rival's, as she started her Primary Eve Day with a stop at a local Biscuit World.

Clinton made the unnanounced trip as she seeks to boost her margin of victory in the Mountain State's primary. "We gotta get everybody out, gotta get everybody out," she said as she posed for a picture with a group of women.

One told her the weather forecast looked good. "Yup, let's make it happen, Clinton replied. "Get everybody out, it'll be a good day."

As Clinton worked the room, she ran into Doris Smith, who happened to be wearing a blue and white Obama '08 T-shirt. She shook her hand, and said she would work hard for her.

"I'm still trying to decide on the issues," Smith said to Clinton. "Well, that's what [you] should decide on," Clinton said, her hand now on Smith's shoulder.

Clinton, who did not stop to eat, thanked the staff and supporters for the greeting, and offered a quick pitch on her electability.

"I keep telling people, no Democrat has won the White House since 1916 without winning West Virginia."

As she sat in a booth signing a book, another woman said she hoped she woud "go all the way."

"We're gonna keep going as long as we have people like you helping us," Clinton said.

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Comments

While America may be ready for a single minority to be on a presidential ticket I do not think that it is ready for a double minority ticket.  How will all those conservative white males react to a ticket with a black man and a white woman on it?  Unfortunately they'd run for old white man McCain.

Someday America will be ready for a double minority ticket, but not in 2008.  For now Obama's best choice for a VP will be a white male with solid military experience.

Go Obama 08/12!
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Governor Manchin is taking offense to an upcoming film that uses negative stereotypes of West Virginians.

The horror thriller "Shelter" is recruiting extras with unusual physical features for a scene in a West Virginia "holler." Those scenes are scheduled to be shot starting Sunday in the Pittsburgh area.

The casting call says the film is looking for extras who are extraordinarily tall or short, those with unusual body shapes and unusual facial features, and even people with physical abnormalities.

And I hope she will return to WV to support the Democratic Ticket no matter who is the nominee. This is all about a Democratic agenda be it Hillary or Barack. Hillary has been my favorite but I am 100% backing Barack assuming that he will be the candidate. The messenger is important but not the end. I will support a Democratic ticket.
Yuck, Yuck, Yuck. What a sad desperate loser. Desperate. So now, I guess, in a week or two Clinton will be back in WV asking the people who's votes she now seeks to support Obama as he WILL be the nominee? Let's not forgot what she's already said, she and Bill will work their hearts out for the new nominee.
This is Hillary's chance to go out on a high note, without being forced out.

Last chance.

Remember it is the entire election process, not one or two remaining states. While they will be included, Barack leads overall, and in every category.


Hillary is an absolute joke....almost as much as Wolfson. It appears as Obama will win TWICE as many states. But she only believes her states are important. She and her campaign have become SO laughable and unimportant. WV and Kentucky should wake-up and NOT vote for a loser that LIES every week.....is that a good politician? Can't we have someone with honesty & integrity....just once for a try?
Don't listen to this liberal media telling Hillary to get out.  She has the best chance to win in November.  If she doesn;t win the nomination I will be first in line to vote for McCain.  Call me one of the 50% democrat that will not vote for Obama
Is that all she could afford was a biscuit?
Hopefully people in West Virginia understand that their economy in the coal mines is in part supported strongly by the democratic stronghold in congress and a democratic president will two fold that strength.  And hopefully they are facing reality that the candidate of the DNC is going to be Senator Obama. Senator Clinton's spin is being bought by very many even of her supporters anymore.  I am in hopes Senator Obama will offer her a position in the Supreme Court.  She would do very well in that capacity for the people of this country.  
Wasn't the same thing said about Missouri, which Obama won?  I guess next week it will be no democrat has won the presidency without winning Kentucky.
Yes, of course now West Virginia is absolutely the most important state in the union...
kinda sad, really
Hillary's only hope is to make sure that Barack loses. Then she can run in four years. It's a dispcable strategy, but hey, it's the Clintons.
Though both are focusing on health care reform, I prefer Obama's example of exercise with basketball to Clinton's affirming visits to Biscuit World and Dairy Queen.
This is why Clinton's West Virginia argument is utterly stupid.  No Democratic candidate has ever won the Presidency without winning Missouri since it entered the union (first election with Missouri - 1820).  Clinton cannot win the Presidency since she did not win Missouri (if we follow the stupid Clinton logic).  Clinton playing up WV is beyond stupid.  She couldn't win Missouri so she obviously cannot possibly win the General Election.
Say what now?
Biscuit World; thats the last thing she needs is more biscuits. Those pant-suits are getting a little wide at the hips!  How about stopping at Wieght Watchers or the gym.
Somebody wake me up when it's all over.
She is the wedge that will destroy the democratic party!  Folks in WV need to look at HC for who she is and what she has done - use google for goodness sake!  Search Hillary and filegate, travelgate, whitewater, pardons, options profits and the Rose Law Firm.  Then make your decision!!  
OK, so no dem has won without WV since 1916...I'm sure that's true.  However, any idiot knows that just because WV always votes for winning democrats, there's no way that it's actually NECESSARY for a win.  What does it have, like 6 electoral votes?  Come on.  I'm just glad that Hillary is spending her own money for media buys and events in these backwoods because it would be a slap in the face to her already-dissaffected donors if she was still getting any of their hard-earned money.
I guess that small states do count after all for HRC.Suddenly, WV takes on as much importance as all other states. Goal posts keep moving.

Obama 08
Support McCain:

10.00 a gallon gas

Your kids will get drafted

Womens right to choose will be taken away.


It is funny how Hillary wants to stay in the past. Things are so differnt now since the election of 1960.

I GOT SOME NEWS FOR HER HERE OUT WEST! OBAMA WELL WIN:

MONTANA

NEBERSKA

COLORADO

UTAH

IDAHO

KANSAS

NEVADA

CALIF.

OREGAN

WASHINGTON

TEXAS

SD

ND

NM

Obama is going to change the map mark my words. You see out west we do live in the past we always look forward. People back east seem to hold on to there BITTER past! The media has no clue about how people here out west feel about Obama. It's always about the eastern states for the media.
If Hillary wants to finish this race that is fine with me. I think this is a great race. I do think that everybody needs to support the Democratic nominee once it is decided. Democrats need to unite not divide because his/her choice did not win. Thanks.

Democrat in Honduras for Obama 08
Way to go Hillary forget the Democratic party unity idea and just go out a bury Obama in WV. You are one egomaniac for the books. Just embarrass our democratic nominee so you can look good. I just hope Hillary gets what she deserves and I hope fellow democratics will turn away from her as a self serving individual. She just does not get it and the people around her are afraid to tell her to drop out.
To Obama supporters:

I know that you are all thrilled, but please be gracious.  As much as we want Clinton and her supporters to be gracious and support Obama as the nominee, we need to lead by example.  If you gloat, and put down Hillary and her supporters, you are being as devisive as you claim she is being.

A great deal of people will cast their vote emotionally.  Please follow Obama's lead and avoid the negative comments as much as possible.  You are his supporters and like it or not, your actions are associated with his campaign.

So please, for the best interests of your country and the world, lead by example - whether you are a Hillary or an Obama supporter.
Go Hillary!!!
I bet 100 bucks that the old lady with the Obama shirt is a plant!
WV is irrelevant. If she wins by 50%, 75-25%, she nets only 14 delegates more. He has gain more just from super delegates in the last week.

I really hope this is the end tomorrow.
This election is going to be different. Democrats will win some typically red states. We don't need West Virginia.
Nice Gesture to the Obama Supporter at least.  Sen.Clinton's tone has changed for the better these past few days. Let the Rhetoric stop and Unity Begin.

Republicans for Obama
Pathetic. We love you, Hil, but it's time to pack it in.
This is a totally different election cycle this year than in the past.  The idea that you would have to win West Virginia and Missouri in the primaries, in order to win in the General election is out the window folks.  How many times has the Democratic party had less than a hand full of Primaries to go and the 2 candidates left are seperated by a hair's distance in both deligates and popular vote?

Besides, history doesn't take into account the fact that people are sick and tired of the Bush administration and it's policies (one of the lowest approval ratings in history, if not the lowest), and the only person calling for more of that is, well.....John McCain!
Sheesh, Hillary keeps on moving that goalpost, doesn't she?  

"I keep telling people, no Democrat has won the White House since 1916 without winning West Virginia."


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