Yeetle Box - Clinton Wins Small In West Virginia

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton coasted to a large victory in West Virginia on Tuesday, handing Barack Obama one of his worst defeats of the campaign yet scarcely slowing his march toward the Democratic presidential nomination as he did not compete in the state's primary.

"The White House is won in the swing states. And I am winning the swing states," Clinton told cheering supporters and superdelegates at a victory rally late Tuesday.

Clinton, who was winning the state by more than a 2-to-1 ratio, coupled praise with Obama with a pledge to persevere in a campaign in which she has become the decided underdog - and rightfully so as she has absolutely no chance of winning the nomination.

“I am more determined than ever to carry on this campaign, until everyone has had a chance to hear my voice,” she yelled at the audience.



As in previous contests, she made another plea for donations to overcome the large fund-raising advantage that Obama has - by about $40 million to Clinton's - $20 million.

"Don't be fooled by Obama's fundraising abilities," she squawked, her voice hoarse from constantly yelling loud enough to be heard around the world. "Don't be fooled that hardworking, white workers who have lost their jobs can't fork over a few bucks for a fighter like me."

Exit polls with West Virginians leaving their polling places was delivered by an electorate that was 95 percent white and was composed of the kinds of voters who favored her in past primaries - stupid. Nearly a quarter had no education beyond high school.

"Say what you will," said one Clinton support, "but she's [Clinton's] the kind of Ivy League alumnus we can get behind. She's tough. She's real tough. And she's oblivious to facts."

Even before the polls closed, spokesman Mo Elleithee said the primary showed voters "don't want to be told that this thing is over. They don't watch the news or read newspapers. They are her base. And her base doesn't need the media telling them when it's over. They sent a very clear message tonight that Hillary Clinton is the best person to take on John McCain in the fall - should he live that long."

Clinton won a whopping 16 of the 28 delegates at stake in West Virginia and Obama won at least seven, with five more to be allocated.

Current tally? Obama - 1,882.5 delegates. Clinton 1,713 delegates. 2,026 needed to clinch the nomination at the party convention in Denver this summer.

Nevertheless, Clinton's aides contend that her strength with blue-collar voters — already demonstrated in primaries in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana — makes her the more electable candidate in the fall - among white blue collar voters.




The Yeetle Box