Election 2008: President

Amid a flurry of recent polling (here, here and here), Barack Obama's national campaign manager spoke to West Virginia reporters Wednesday about the Democratic presidential hopeful's chances in the Mountain State.

“I would term ourselves the underdog in West Virginia,” David Plouffe said. “But our view of it is that it’s a dead heat right now.”

The Associated Press, The Intelligencer of Wheeling, the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington, The Charleston Gazette and MetroNews (with audio) were among those in on the conference call.

AP also reports that the Obama campaign's optimism rises after West Virginians gave a record $130,300 to his campaign last month. The September haul raised his in-state total "above $483,500. That’s twice what McCain had raised from West Virginians before switching to public financing," AP reports.

AP, The Gazette and others also cite Friday's scheduled visit by running mate Joe Biden. The free 10:30 a.m. event "will be on Summers Street between Lee and Quarrier streets, and the public entrance will be from Capitol Street via Fife Street/Brawley Walkway, beginning at 8:30 a.m.," the latter reports.