Free Republic

Bill Raney considers coal golden. After all, the black rock fuels half of the nation's electrical generation. But the West Virginia Coal Association's president and others in the industry say they've received mixed messages about president-elect Barack Obama's support for coal-fired power. Obama and vice president-elect Joe Biden both have said they support finding cleaner ways to burn coal. But during the campaign, Obama told a newspaper that electricity rates could soar under his energy plan, while Biden told a voter in Ohio that "we're not supporting clean coal" - though he has said the U.S. should develop clean coal...

The US Senate's oldest and longest-serving member, Robert Byrd, announced Friday he was stepping down as chairman of the appropriations committee. For the last 10 years, the 90-year-old Democratic dean from West Virginia has headed the committee which helps the government decide how to spend its money. Byrd, re-elected for his ninth Senate term in 2006, has spent nearly 50 years as a committee member and senator, casting a record 18,000 ballots as of last year. "A new day has dawned in Washington, and that is a good thing," Byrd, who endorsed Illinois Senator Barack Obama this year in his...

Based on exit polls, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain will win the state of West Virginia, according to CBS News and Fox News. The Associated Press and other news organizations did not call the state for McCain. Throughout the race, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama had trailed the Republican senator from Arizona. Neither candidate spent much time in the state; McCain made a couple of brief appearances. This marks the third straight presidential election that West Virginians have picked a Republican for president, after years of voting Democratic for the nation's highest office. In the state's Democratic primaries in May,...

Fox News calls WV for McCain

Sen. John McCain has earned Americans' trust during a period measured in decades, from his valiant service in the military to his time in Congress. For a variety of reasons involving both domestic and foreign policy, The Intelligencer endorses McCain and urges voters to elect him as our next president. In 2005, McCain and three other senators attempted to correct major flaws in policy regarding "Fannie Mae" and "Freddie Mac." Liberals, including Sen. Barack Obama, defeated the measure. Had it passed, the current economic downturn probably would have been avoided. At the very least, it would have been less severe....

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Joe Biden is no Barack Obama. He channels many of the same well-tested phrases and platforms. But he doesn't just talk about families struggling to pay bills. He chokes up. And he doesn't just denounce Republicans for carving up America into "real" and "fake" parts. He's a finger-pointing, cheek-bulging ball of fury. With three dozen years of Senate service behind him, Biden is chanting Obama's mantra of change, and taking potshots. "John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin -- when they get on stage, I love to watch 'em. They get on and they say, they start, 'Yeah,...

Tuesday, October 21, 2008 The presidential race in West Virginia continues to hold steady as John McCain leads Barack Obama 52% to 43%, according the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey. The latest poll is little changed from September, when McCain led his opponent 50% to 42%. The Republican also had an eight-point lead in the state back in June. McCain holds a dominant lead among unaffiliated voters in West Virginia, 57% to 36%. He also leads 55% to 42% among men and 49% to 43% among women. Rasmussen Markets data shows that Republicans are given a 60.1 % chance of...

The presidential race in West Virginia continues to hold steady as John McCain leads Barack Obama 52% to 43%, according the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey. The latest poll is little changed from September, when McCain led his opponent 50% to 42%. The Republican also had an eight-point lead in the state back in June. McCain holds a dominant lead among unaffiliated voters in West Virginia, 57% to 36%. He also leads 55% to 42% among men and 49% to 43% among women.

"He is black" was the first thing Kenny Perdue, the state's AFL-CIO president, said. {snip} The president of the United Mine Workers, Cecil Roberts, spoke after Perdue in a parking lot set in the flat plateau below the remains of a strip-mined mountain. "I'd rather have a black friend than a white enemy," he said.

During a stop in OH, just a dozen miles from the WV border, Joe Biden pledged this week that Barack Obama will carry the Mountain State and "shock the living Devil out of you all." Next week, he can make that promise in person. The DE senator is tentatively planning to campaign in WV Friday, marking the first general election appearance in the state for the Democratic ticket.

While polls pop up with numbers attempting to predict a presidential winner, the West Virginia Wesleyan College poll for The State Journal tracks the profiles behind the numbers. The poll, conducted this week by Orion Strategies, questioned 600 "likely voters," with emphasis placed on duplicating the West Virginia electorate as closely as possible in regard to party affiliation, age, gender and district distribution. Below are the complete results of the poll. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q1. If the November Election for President were being held today, would you vote for John McCain or Barack Obama: (Rotate Names): John McCain 310 51.7% Barack Obama...

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – It has been reported for months that John McCain would have a relatively easy time winning West Virginia, but a new poll shows Barack Obama has made quite the comeback. The American Research Group reported that for the first time Obama has taken the lead here in the Mountain State. The poll shows that if the election were held today, Obama would capture 50 percent of the vote compared with Republican presidential candidate McCain's 42 percent. This is a big turn around from previous polls, which showed McCain leading by a wide margin in West Virginia.

Full breakdown here.

(The Register-Herald Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 4--Sticking to her conservative principles, Rep. Shelley Moore Capito again Friday voted to oppose Wall Street's multibillion-dollar parachute on its second, and this time successful, float through the House. West Virginia's two Democrats in the House -- Nick Rahall and Alan Mollohan -- voted with the majority in a 263-171 roll call. "While we've seen some key adjustments around the edges, this is fundamentally the same bill we considered on Monday," Capito, R-W.Va., said afterward.

FAIRMONT — Marion County Republicans will open their campaign headquarters at 201 Adams St. in downtown Fairmont on Monday, said Andrew Sabak. And the county GOP’s annual Reagan Dinner is set for Oct. 16 at Muriale’s Restaurant and Banquet Center, said Sabak. He is the chairman of the Marion County Republican Executive Committee. “Everyone who is interested in any of the Republican candidates for office on the November ballot is welcome to drop in and see our campaign headquarters,” Sabak said. The new office will be open from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. on Monday. Operating hours will gradually be expanded as...

BLUEFIELD — Democrat Natalie Tennant and Republican Charles Minimah are vying Nov. 4 for the position of Secretary of State. Both candidates met with members of the Daily Telegraph editorial board last week, where they discussed a variety of issues ranging from local election night problems in Mercer County to addressing voter apathy in the Mountain State. Betty Ireland, the incumbent Secretary of State, isn’t seeking re-election. Tennant, a former television reporter and anchor, now operates Wells Media Group with her husband Sen. Eric Wells, D-Kanawha. A graduate of West Virginia University, Tennant is a former candidate for the Secretary...

From a Betty Ireland press release Charleston, WV (HNN) – Preliminary investigations have revealed hundreds of fraudulent voter registrations , Secretary of State Betty Ireland told a Thursday, Sept. 25 press conference. The United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI, United States Postal Service and Kanawha County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating crimes that may have been committed by filing fraudulent voter registration forms. “My office takes the matter of election fraud seriously, and every precaution is being made to make sure no voter is disenfranchised by this activity,” Secretary Ireland stated. According to the press release, similar activities have been occurring...

A new poll shows that one in five West Virginia voters believe Barack Obama is a Muslim. And only half of voters in West Virginia say Obama is a Christian – despite a campaign by Obama and his supporters to shoot down the false rumor that he is Muslim. The poll of 600 likely voters was conducted by Orion Strategies for West Virginia Media and West Virginia Wesleyan College. It shows McCain 11 points ahead of Obama in West Virginia – 52 percent McCain; 41 percent Obama.

A new poll out from TIME/CNN Wednesday night shows Republican presidential candidate John McCain with a 50% to 46% lead over Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama in West Virginia. It's the first time TIME/CNN polled West Virginia. The cable channel lists the state as "Leaning McCain." CNN's poll findings include a 2 to 1 lead among Independent voters for McCain in West Virginia. According to the poll, Obama leads among self-identified moderate voters. Obama also has a three point advantage among female voters in West Virginia, according to the results. The survey of likely voters took place the past few...

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- An off-the-cuff interview with Democratic nominee for Vice President Joe Biden posted on YouTube reveals that Biden apparently doesn't want coal plants in the United States. The video appears to have been shot in Ohio while Biden was campaigning. "No coal plants here in America," said Biden to a woman asking questions about clean coal. Biden says China is building two dirty coal plants every week, which is polluting the U.S. and causing people to die. "Guess what, China is going to burn 300 years of bad coal unless we can figure out how to clean...