Published: August 18, 2008 08:15 pm         

W.Va. Democrats ready for Denver

Blue donkeys and an unmistakable West Virginia label are on the special hats West Virginia Democratic Chairman Nick Casey uncrated Monday — a necessary token for anyone making the trip this weekend to Denver.

While Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois is the presumptive presidential nominee, about 70 percent of West Virginia’s delegation remains pledged to Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York.

“I’m so excited,” exulted state Chairman Nick Casey from his Charleston office. “I’m just looking at my hat. Somebody made us some hats for the convention. I’m just looking at them. They’re looking good.”

Delegates ran in the May 13 primary committed to specific candidates, but the so-called super delegates, even though announcing their choices, can switch.

“You know what they say — super delegates’ commitments are written in talcum powder,” the chairman said.

Super delegates are those automatically handed convention votes by virtue of being members of Congress, or serving in an official party capacity, such as Casey in his role as chairman.

“I never declared for anybody,” he said.

“I think, truthfully, no matter how you cut it, if you do a roll-call, it would be 70 percent for Hillary. It will be an interesting thing. I can’t imagine it’s going to be a casual thing. West Virginia is way down the list. Lord, who knows what will happen by the time you get down to the W’s? We’re down at the bottom.”

With the heavy timber ahead of the Mountain State — states such as California, Michigan, Texas, Ohio and Florida — all the drama could evaporate by the time the chair announces “West Virginia,” Casey pointed out.

“It seems to be it could be a very dramatic situation,” he said.

Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, Rep. Nick Rahall, all D-W.Va., and Gov. Joe Manchin have all declared for Obama, but under party rules, their votes aren’t written in concrete.

Clinton swamped Obama in the primary election, and based on the lopsided results, the delegates who ran for the convention are overwhelmingly in her corner.

“Truthfully, I cannot imagine what’s going to happen,” Casey said.

West Virginia proved a key state in the past two presidential elections, when Mountain Staters wound up in President Bush’s column.

The delegation expects to get paid a lot of attention in the Denver gathering, each day filled with some type of activity.

“We’ll be visited by different committees, and every day there will be some kind of sponsoring event in the afternoon,” Casey said.

“Unless something goes crazy, Obama will come by and the vice presidential candidate will come by. One night we’ll have ‘West Virginia Night.’ We’re co-hosting it with the Democratic Governors Association, since our governor chairs that.”

To make sure it’s a gala event, the West Virginians have rented part of an amusement park and hired a band to entertain.

“We’ve got something every morning, every afternoon and every night,” Casey said.

The delegation got an added boost with word that Rockefeller will be delivering a key address, prompting some to speculate he could be considered for the No. 2 slot on the ticket.

“That seems like a long shot to me,” Casey said. “Hey, I’ve got a shot until they announce. Just like the Olympics. A fellow falls down, maybe I can make it. They’d have to go way down the list to get me.”

Casey applauded the party for its effort to involve Denver residents in the convention by planning the nominee’s acceptance speech outdoors in the same stadium that is home to the Broncos, accommodating around 71,000.

“There is just everything to do in Denver,” Casey said. “I know the Reds and Rockies are playing. It’s not part of the official things. But I’m going to go see the Reds.”

Casey remains loyal to the Reds, despite a lingering gripe about management that dates back a few decades.

“I’ve been mad at them ever since they traded Frank Robinson,” he said of the former homerun-hitting outfielder who wound up in Baltimore.

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com