Den Cotton

I’m not sure what Barack Obama did to the state of West Virginia — racking up losses in every county — but clearly he must be buddying up with former head football coach Rich Rodriguez to fall so heavily in Mountaineer country during the Democratic Primary.

Hillary Clinton easily won with 67 percent of the vote to Obama’s 25.7 percent. West Virginia hadn’t delivered a beat down like that since crushing Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl 48-28 back in January.

While most of the pundits have already hoisted the Democratic cup for Obama — the math showing a clear victor without some kind of Hail Mary play against the Ducks next week — Clinton is trucking on, hoping for another landslide margin in Kentucky although Oregon is likely to stand in the way of any chance the senator from New York has in pulling off the upset down the stretch.

If Obama wants a Derby-like victory in the Bluegrass State, he better bring Big Brown or Muhammad Ali with him — to even have a fighting chance.

But one thing is clear, and that is Clinton needing to complete the Triple Crown next Tuesday — despite a 20-length victory in West Virginia — for an unprecedented comeback in the late rounds.