Sure it's a primary and not a general election, but in a year where the Republican brand has a lower approval rating than herpes it's something to consider:

Barack Obama with just 26 percent of the Democratic votes 91,663.
John McCain with just 76 percent of all Republican votes 89,654.

More good news to consider.

Anne Barth is going to face Shelley Moore Capito.

No matter how certain diarists try to couch it, they are bigoted towards a minority of people in this country.

Like the notorious Bell Curve authors, they extrapolate false assumptions from data to perpetuate negative stereotypes against this minority and take the worst anecdotes to use as an example of the whole.

The decision by some to mock, deride or write off an entire class of people is not just bigotry at its worst. It is stupid politically.

City dwellers and rural citizens share something in common.

The other day atrios linked to this

Some suburbanites might not easily understand what has made John and Flossie Gallagher stay in their Harper Street rowhouse for more than 40 years. Or why 30-year resident Pat Hill spends a good part of her time tending the corner garden oasis she and other volunteers rescued from "dump" status.

They might understand why the Gallaghers and Hill have stuck it out, but it would be harder to comprehend why Suzi Nash or Kendra Gaeta or Matt Wanamaker or Evelyn Sheared - all of whom are young enough to be my children - would choose to live in a rowhouse neighborhood where nonresidents think it's OK to relieve themselves wherever they choose.

...

City living isn't easy. It never has been.

and atrios commented:

I think it's pretty easy. Obviously some neighborhoods are more problematic than others, but still.

Just some quick hits before I take a nap.

As I've mentioned for months, the Obama supporters have been much more active on the ground in West Virginia even though polls have shown Hillary Clinton with an insurmountable lead in the state. As Clem has pointed out so well, this state's demographics are perfectly suited for Clinton. But even more than the demographics, this state's personality is suited for her to win. West Virginians love politicians they're familiar with. We had Bill Clinton as our president and Hillary Clinton as our First Lady for eight years.

The last time I checked, Sen. Robert C. Byrd had not endorsed Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton for president, which I thought a good move considering how much I want him to keep focused on the election of his long-time state director Anne Barth to the House of Representatives in WV-02.

No really, there is one. A big one.
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(That's what she said...)

I almost went with the title DHinMI is wrong.

"Daddy, spin it around," the middle Carnacki girl said.

She sat on the board of a rope swing looped over the thick branch of a large black walnut tree.

I joined other Democrats at the Berkeley County Democratic headquarters to watch the debate. I only watched part of it. There were 22 people there at one time, though a few left early.

One of our Democrats brought a birthday cake for one of our other local Democrats. We also signed a get-well-sooon card for one of our older frequent volunteers in the hospital. I suggested we send in a phonebank list to keep her busy. She'd probably do it. Hopefully she's better soon.

I've been posting for quite some time now of the large gap in West Virginia in the grassroots support and county level Democratic activists for Sen. Barack Obama well out of proportion to the polls that showed Sen. Hillary Clinton ahead in West Virginia by a large margin.

Today in Berkeley County, one of the largest counties in the state, 50 of the 52 delegates elected at the county convention today to the state convention in Charleston were Sen. Barack Obama supporters.

You know you really want to support him. Why with his rugged good looks, his history as a maverick, his courage in violating his own campaign finance laws, I think we should all sign up at this McCain Google Groups site to give him all of the help he needs.

There's an even better way to support him.

You know those google ads you see on state blogs? West Virginia Blue has one up now because the McCain campaign must have had the highest bid for certain key words on sites.

Whenever you see one of those ads, give it a nice click to show your support for John McCain.

I wrote earlier at MyDD about the contradictory nature of West Virginia and the West Virginia presidential primary race.

Yesterday provided a great example.

Crossposted at West Virginia Blue.

Whenever someone tells me how Sen. Jay Rockefeller must be right about telecom immunity because as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee he must know what he's doing, I cannot help but scoff.

Afterall, this is a many who was wrong about the Iraq war, wrong with his vote on the Military Commissions Act, wrong about Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell. So why would some West Virginians still have blind faith in Senator Rockefeller on telecom immunity?

Before I forget, here's my obligatory plug for Anne Barth in Congress. She's our WV-02 candidate. If you're looking to support a candidate, I suggest her. We've got a good shot at defeating the rightwing Bush Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito.

Now on to my presidential candidate pick - my first diary about the presidential race this cycle. (I feel so glad to be joining the crowd.)

The rightwing keeps putting a great emphasis on the fact that Senator Barack Obama does not wear a lapel pin of an American flag.

He's explained his reasoning well.

I went to the peace vigil in Shepherdstown tonight. Five years of the occupation already. Some have been at it since before the Iraq invasion and occupation.

The event was moved to O'Hurley's General Store due to the rain.

I saw many familiar faces from other peace events and political campaigns and I saw new faces as well. There were about 80 people in all in the large room where music and dances are sometimes held.

"If this trend continues, no one could discriminate against anyone for any reason." Del. Kelli Sobonya (R-Cabell). source.

13:34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." Jesus Christ as quoted in John 13:1-34-35