News
August 29, 2008
Obama/Biden state HQ to open Monday in city
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The state headquarters for a coordinated Democratic campaign for Barack Obama is scheduled to open Monday in downtown Charleston, state party director Tom Vogel confirmed Thursday.

Effective Monday, Vogel said he will be state coordinator for the Campaign for Change, and pledged that the Obama/Biden ticket will be running an aggressive campaign in West Virginia.

"The campaign is making a significant investment up front," he said.

Initially, the campaign will have a paid staff of 22, including 15 field coordinators, and also will be opening campaign offices in Morgantown, the northern and eastern panhandles, and in southern West Virginia, he said.

The Charleston headquarters is located at the intersection of Lee and Capitol streets downtown.

While most national pundits have West Virginia as a solid "red" state, meaning it is favoring Republican John McCain to win, Vogel said he believes an aggressive campaign can even those odds.

"I would never have taken this position if I did not believe we could win this thing in West Virginia," said Vogel, who pointed out that many of the same pundits had West Virginia as a lock for Democrat Al Gore in 2000.

"It's not going to be just a token presence in West Virginia," state Democratic Party chairman Nick Casey said Thursday. "They've come to play, both with personnel and the offices they're going to open."

Casey said that while some party faithful were concerned that the Obama campaign might write-off West Virginia, he never got that impression.

"We've always understood that they're going to run a 50-state campaign," he said.

Vogel said he's looking forward to the fall campaign, noting that in most other statewide races this fall, the Democrats are either running uncontested or running well ahead of their challengers.

Both Casey and Vogel were in Denver Thursday, attending the final day of the Democratic National Convention.

Reach Phil Kabler at ph...@wvgazette.com or 348-1220.

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Posted By: Charlottesville57 (11:20pm 08-31-2008)
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SHAME SHAME is all I can hear in my own head...Frankly I now know why I left the hills of WV after reading these comments and many many more from other articles posted herein. Though I am a democrat, I now ponder my sanity...wake up folks the democratic party was kidnapped and is being orchestrated by the Reid and Nancy show, and Obama is the puppet....Joe Biden is the pet of the puppet...and the rest of the dog and pony circus is within the circles of both democrats and republicans that each take a share of our country's crisis...so when you cast your ballot for Obama, remember it is Nancy and Reid that will be your choice leaders.

Posted By: SisterMaxwellHouse (2:57pm 08-29-2008)
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To John: Wake up and smell the coffee, a facelift for the economy can't be based on bias comments such as yours. If everyone was happy with the nation just the way it was, there wouldn't be so many people in jail for white collar crimes and murder. Your right-wing way of thinking will only take us back to the days of the caveman. Get a clue Johnboy and come down off of Walton's mountain.

Posted By: John (11:26am 08-29-2008)
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It's all about him being the first "African-American" nominee. If He was a white guy, He would have been long forgotten by now. He says change change change, It will be change alright, just not the kind we are going to like. I for one, unlike Michelle Obama, am pretty happy with this nation the way it is.

Posted By: True American (11:00am 08-29-2008)
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TO: CONSERVATIVE. If republicans are so pro 2nd amendment then why in 1996 did the republican dominated congress of Bill Clinton's second term pass federal law 18 U.S.C 922(g)9 (9/26/96) stating that any person convicted of a domestic violence MISDEMEANOR may no longer possess a firearm or ammunition. Republicans did this!!
It's time you neo-con's own up to the truth of the matter. Accusing John Kerry and now Barack Obama of "trying to take your guns away" just doesn't hold water in light of your own party's history. Wake up WV. The only perfect record they can claim is electing losers as president.
Do you want to hear more about your party?? We're not perfect, but neither are you. I've been doing my homework on the facts and will happily provide the basis of my statements for all to check out.
I have been threatened and intimidated over my choice for president. Obama. But, NO MORE. It's my constitutional right to campaign for whomever I choose without fear of violence. GET IT?

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