Sean Quinn of the indispensable site fivethirtyeight.com has been driving around the middle Atlantic and Appalachian regions. A couple of days ago he was in the dear old home town (Morgantown, West Virginia), and yesterday he was in a town called Washington, Pennsylvania, about 40 miles north of M'town on I-79. I know this turf quite well, obviously. We called Washington "Little Washington," to distinguish it from the actual Washington--DC, which was close enough to be a familiar destination.
Anyway, Sean heard the following story in this town where Obama got just slaughtered by Hillary Clinton:
So a canvasser goes to a woman's door in Washington, Pennsylvania. Knocks. Woman answers. Knocker asks who she's planning to vote for. She isn't sure, has to ask her husband who she's voting for. Husband is off in another room watching some game. Canvasser hears him yell back, "We're votin' for the n***er!"
Woman turns back to canvasser, and says brightly and matter of factly: "We're voting for the n***er."
I've heard similar stories from West Virginia, in which people openly use the n-word while saying they're voting for him.
It's important not to read too much into this. It's mostly a reflection of the economy; McCain's ridiculous response to the crisis; Palin's presence. And clearly, part of it must be that Obama has come across to these folks as smart and steady and someone who'll use good judgment in office.
I still doubt that Obama will carry West Virginia. But he's a lot farther along with these voters than I'd have thought back in April or May.
