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Hillary Clinton stumps for Barth
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Democratic congressional candidate Anne Barth and W.Va. First Lady Gayle Manchin, from left, share a stage Friday, October 10, 2008, at a rally for Barth in Charleston, W. Va. (AP Photo/Jeff Gentner)
Purchase this photoCHARLESTON -- Sen. Hillary Clinton visited West Virginia on Friday to give a boost to congressional challenger Anne Barth, but another Democrat may benefit from the New York senator's visit as well.
In her remarks at a rally overlooking the Kanawha River from the University of Charleston campus, Clinton praised former rival Sen. Barack Obama, whom she defeated by a more than 2-to-1 margin in the state Democratic primary last May.
Clinton said an Obama presidency would provide a needed break from the policies of the current Republican administration, praising the Democratic nominee and his running mate, Sen. Joe Biden, twice in her remarks.
"Republicans have run out of ideas, run out of energy to fix anything," she told the crowd of hundreds. "They're just marking time."
The crowd was loud in its support for Clinton, with some members waving signs left over from the primary. And while there was at least one man wearing a "Hillary Democrats for McCain" T-shirt, others in the crowd said they were committed to Obama.
"It almost has a healing effect," Charleston resident Howard Swinton said. "A lot of West Virginians needed to see and hear this today."
Joanne Dawson and Anne Patterson, both of Charleston, came to the rally partly to see Clinton in person, but said they thought her appearance here would give Obama's campaign a boost in the state.
"We're just so happy to see her here and so happy that Barack Obama could win in West Virginia," Patterson said.
Ever since the May 13 primary, West Virginia has been viewed by pundits and even by some members of both parties as a lock for Republican Sen. John McCain. Former Cabell County Delegate Arley Johnson said last month he advised the Obama campaign not to schedule any appearances by the candidate here since it would be a waste of time.
As polls have Obama gaining in other states and nationally, though, the state campaign has become increasingly confident of his chances in West Virginia.
A CNN/Time poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation from Sept. 21-23 found McCain leading Obama among registered voters in West Virginia by 50 percent to 46 percent, with a 3.5 percent margin of error.
Clinton, who crisscrossed West Virginia during the primary, along with former President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea, was primarily in town to support the candidacy of Barth, a former aide to Sen. Robert C. Byrd.
"If you're from West Virginia, you already know her and know a lot of folks like her," Clinton said of Barth, who announced in January her challenge to four-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, the state's lone congressional Republican.
Byrd made a surprise appearance at the rally, shouting "I'm for Anne Barth!" and drawing appreciative cheers from the crowd.
Barth told the crowd the country's current financial woes demand change in Washington, and called Capito the candidate of the status quo.
"If the financial market meltdown doesn't worry you, then you may be OK with the way things are going in America," Barth said.
In an interview earlier this week, Capito said she expected the national Democratic Party to target her seat by sending high profile campaigners like Clinton to stump for Barth.
"Obviously, West Virginians love Hillary Clinton," Capito said. "At the end of the day, though, people are voting for me or for my opponent."
