For Obama, a Lost Moment

RCP ^ | may 15th, 2008 | David Broder

[The_Republican]

Barack Obama really didn't need a victory in West Virginia. He was already well on his way to wrapping up the Democratic nomination, and the 28 delegates at stake were not going to change that picture, no matter how that primary came out.

But he should have competed there, if only to signal his awareness of its special place in Democratic history. Forty-eight years ago, it was West Virginia more than any other state that propelled John Kennedy into the White House. And it did so in a way that Obama should have wanted to emulate.

Admittedly, I have a bias. That 1960 primary race between Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey was my introduction to presidential politics. As a new reporter at The Washington Star, I did not get to Wisconsin for the first round of the Kennedy-Humphrey battle. But I didn't miss much. Kennedy won the Catholic areas of the state, including Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha and the Fox River Valley. Humphrey dominated the Protestant farm counties from the middle of the state to the Minnesota border.

With Democratic leaders trying to gauge whether Kennedy would fall victim to the same prejudice that undercut Al Smith, the first Catholic nominee, back in 1928, Wisconsin gave no clear answer.

So the two young senators packed their bags and headed for West Virginia.

That state seemed made-to-order for Humphrey. Chronically poor, its citizens relied on New Deal programs to survive. A former Klan redoubt, many of its voters were suspicious of Catholics. The mineworkers and other unions were solidly in Humphrey's corner. The state's main powerbroker, Sen. Robert Byrd, was backing Humphrey in hopes of blocking Kennedy and opening the way for his friend Lyndon Johnson to jump into the race and capture the nomination at the Los Angeles convention.

[6SJ7]

The state's main powerbroker, Sen. Robert Byrd, was backing Humphrey...

Criminies. Nearly 50 years later and still the same senator!

[ballplayer]

Another Objective reporter

[AlphaOneAlpha]

BRODER STATES:
“Forty-eight years ago, it was West Virginia more than any other state that propelled John Kennedy into the White House. And it did so in a way that Obama should have wanted to emulate.”

The truth is that the Mafia fixed West Virgina for Kennedy and Frank Sinatra and his troup were deeply involved. It’s not a new story. Sinatra was very close to Kennedy back then and was hoping to be named an Ambassador, believe it or not. Well, Kennedy used him and his contacts, got into office and dumped Frankie-Boy. Worse yet, then Bobby Kennedy who was appointed atty general began making a name for himself with a high profile war on organized crime.