[Cd9JfGHR]

Dumb rednecks hate Obama. This was already seen in 2008.

[Zenthachall]

Well, Obama did increase his percentage from 26% in 2008 to 60% in 2012. the big difference being that Hillary was never convicted.

ACK!

[MasTaBlau]

Finally some recognition that our politicians are worse than criminals

[nofkayalk]

Dumb rednecks hate Obama. This was already seen in 2008.

It should read "dumb rednecks hate black people" because you know that is their primary motivation. They're loyal democrats as long as it's not a black person on the ballot but they're most certainly racist trash from Appalachia and they know they don't like people with melanin enhanced skin.

Anyone who claims race isn't one of the primary factors is as dumb as DD.

[leflyCode]

Driving through was enough, yes, I lived in Maryland at one time which put me in close enough proximity for weekend trips. Yes, West Virginians are dirt poor, yes, they're old school, yes, they have less education than your average flea on a house dog, but, never let it be said they will not continue fighting racial battles a half century after the rest of the country has moved on. They're just that dumb and backwards.

Race is massive there and only a fool would say other wise. They'll all happily vote Democratic until they run a black guy and then most of them will suddenly not vote for the guy. Race is THE issue.

[betraaaus]

I'm impressed that you became acquainted with the majority of the state's population of 1.8 million on your weekend trips. I always knew you were a people person!

[TravelMan]

Yep.

[georgshult]

Racism in WV, meet limited bandwidth on the Eastern Shore of MD.

[br`lorance]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-k..._b_101651.html

In exit polls a rather large number of West Virginians even admitted the reason they voted one way was because of race. Imagine how many of them were doing it but wouldn't own up to it in an exit poll.

[F1grandprix]

A tireless, thankless, patriotic duty. Whenever a dog knocks over a bottle of heartworm pills and eats the entire contents, whenever a cat who happens to be taking a topical flea ointment is run over by a car, whenever a seventeen year old farmhand "accidentally" stabs himself in the leg with the needle of antibiotics intended for his father's cows - I am there, eight years later, fixing typos made by my coworkers in the reports they transcribe from the pharmaceutical companies that document these adverse drug experiences. Why isn't there an American flag-waving smiley? Damn you, Cybershy, damn you.

What about you? (Besides the obvious, of course.)

Back in the U.S. looking for work. Ideally I'd like to break into manufacturing and acquire some of the legendary "job skills" my English degree didn't give me. Did an interview with a local company Monday, waiting to hear back. Is your current job better or worse than doing tech writer work for that grim lady who interviewed me lo those many years ago?

[isopsmypovA]

How about the "Obama is killing coal" crowd?

[amotoustict]

Then there's the "Obama's killing the family farm" crowd.

[myspauyijbv]

Back in the U.S. looking for work. Ideally I'd like to break into manufacturing and acquire some of the legendary "job skills" my English degree didn't give me. Did an interview with a local company Monday, waiting to hear back. Is your current job better or worse than doing tech writer work for that grim lady who interviewed me lo those many years ago?

I've spent my life in manufacturing. If I had it to do again, I wouldn't do it again.

[Paladin]

I've spent my life in manufacturing. If I had it to do again, I wouldn't do it again.

Well, we're very different people, but what do you do and what don't you like about it?

[OccumCymn]

I plan production. That would be fine, if I was in China or Mexico. I continue to do it because it's what I know and I'm good at it. I should have learned a trade.

[Srewxardsasv]

Machinists are a dying breed.

[boffincash]

Both, actually.

Industry moves continually toward standardized parts, leaving less of a market for machinists skills, and fewer opportunities for machinists. Machinists require a big training investment in time and material, but with the future less secure, fewer people are willing to take that on.

However, when you need a machinist, nothing else will do. The demand still exists especially in older industrial areas with less-than-current machinery.

[cenRealliat]

Do you work in manufacturing, TMM? If so, what's a good avenue to pursue in manufacturing?

[ElcinBoris]

That said, everybody doing my job loves machinists.

[bmwservis]

I knew there was a reason I came back to this thread!

How about the "Obama is killing coal" crowd?

How the felon won
Comments (182) By CHARLES MAHTESIAN | 5/9/12 12:04 PM EDT
AP photo

So how did a felon incarcerated in a Texas prison manage to win 41 percent of the Democratic primary vote against the president of the United States?

For starters, Keith Judd was either clever or lucky enough to have filed for the ballot in the heart of Appalachia’s anti-Obama belt.

West Virginia's county-by-county numbers tell an interesting story: Judd defeated the incumbent president in 9 counties across the state, and held him under 60 percent in 30 of West Virginia’s 55 counties.

(Also on POLITICO: 10 facts about Keith Judd)

Whatever other forces may be at work in the Appalachian opposition to Obama -- the role of race has been debated since his 2008 run -- it's clear the administration's energy policies played a big role in the president's lackluster performance.

Locally, it's referred to as "the war on coal."

Looking at the map, Judd's strongest support came from southern West Virginia’s coal country, close by the Kentucky border.

The five coal counties that voted against Obama Tuesday also voted for Hillary Clinton by landslide margins in the 2008 primary.

That cluster includes the place that might be described as the epicenter of the Obama resistance: Mingo County.

Known as “Bloody Mingo” for its storied history of labor unrest and bloodshed surrounding the coal mining industry – the acclaimed John Sayles movie “Matewan” was based on events there in 1920 – the county disliked Obama even before he was elected president.

Clinton defeated him in there 88 percent to 8 percent, one of Obama’s worst primary drubbings in the nation in 2008. This time around, Mingo delivered what is certainly the president’s worst county-level defeat in 2012 – the inmate defeated the incumbent 60 percent to 40 percent.

It's worth noting that another place with a coal mining heritage lashed out at Obama earlier this year -- Oklahoma's aptly-named Coal County, where the president actually finished in 3rd place, behind perennial candidate Jim Rogers and anti-abortion activist Randall Terry.

CLARIFICATION: Magoffin County, Kentucky -- also in Appalachia -- delivered an even worse result for Obama in 2008 than Mingo. Clinton defeated Obama there 93 percent to 5 percent. This item was updated at 2:31 PM.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/charli...on-122930.html

I know it's painful to consider that truth might not be in the initial knee-jerk explanation, but maybe, just maybe, it could be something rational, like the destruction of a regional economy.