CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Either Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama or vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden probably will headline the West Virginia Democratic Party's annual dinner, state Democratic Chairman Nick Casey said Tuesday.

With less than a month until the annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner, the state Democratic Party has yet to confirm a keynote speaker for the event. But Casey said there's no need for Democratic faithful to panic.

"We don't have it confirmed yet, but we've been informally told that either the nominee or the vice presidential candidate will attend," Casey said in a telephone interview from Denver, where he is attending the Democratic National Convention.

Casey said one reason for his confidence is that Obama and Biden are both scheduled to attend a noon rally in Marietta, Ohio, just across the river from Parkersburg, on Sept. 20 - the same day as the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner at the Charleston Civic Center.

He said he's very optimistic that one, and possibly both the candidates, will make the short trip to Charleston that Saturday.

"I feel very comfortable, even though we don't have a name to put on the [admission] ticket yet," Casey said.

Some party members raised concerns that Obama might be writing off West Virginia after losing the May 13 primary to Hillary Clinton by a 67 percent to 23 percent margin.

Casey said that's not the case, and said the state party had Biden on a short list of possible Jefferson-Jackson Day speakers even before Obama selected him as his running mate.

He said state Democrats should not hesitate to buy the $100-per-plate tickets even without a confirmed keynote speaker, given the state party's recent track record for Jefferson-Jackson Day speakers, with Obama in 2006 and former President Bill Clinton last year.

"They probably know they're making a pretty safe investment," Casey said. "They should be calm. They should be comfortable, and they should be ready to rock and roll."

Reach Phil Kabler at

ph...@wvgazette.com or 348-1220.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Either Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama or vice presidential nominee Joseph Biden probably will headline the West Virginia Democratic Party's annual dinner, state Democratic Chairman Nick Casey said Tuesday.

With less than a month until the annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner, the state Democratic Party has yet to confirm a keynote speaker for the event. But Casey said there's no need for Democratic faithful to panic.

"We don't have it confirmed yet, but we've been informally told that either the nominee or the vice presidential candidate will attend," Casey said in a telephone interview from Denver, where he is attending the Democratic National Convention.

Casey said one reason for his confidence is that Obama and Biden are both scheduled to attend a noon rally in Marietta, Ohio, just across the river from Parkersburg, on Sept. 20 - the same day as the Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner at the Charleston Civic Center.

He said he's very optimistic that one, and possibly both the candidates, will make the short trip to Charleston that Saturday.

"I feel very comfortable, even though we don't have a name to put on the [admission] ticket yet," Casey said.

Some party members raised concerns that Obama might be writing off West Virginia after losing the May 13 primary to Hillary Clinton by a 67 percent to 23 percent margin.

Casey said that's not the case, and said the state party had Biden on a short list of possible Jefferson-Jackson Day speakers even before Obama selected him as his running mate.

He said state Democrats should not hesitate to buy the $100-per-plate tickets even without a confirmed keynote speaker, given the state party's recent track record for Jefferson-Jackson Day speakers, with Obama in 2006 and former President Bill Clinton last year.

"They probably know they're making a pretty safe investment," Casey said. "They should be calm. They should be comfortable, and they should be ready to rock and roll."

Reach Phil Kabler at

ph...@wvgazette.com or 348-1220.