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HOH’s One-Minute Recess: Mountaineer Madness

The Final Four generates plenty of trash talking among college basketball fans — and it turns out not even the Dean of the Senate can resist.

[IMGCAP(1)]Sen. Robert Byrd lent his voice Wednesday in support of the West Virginia Mountaineers, who will face Duke’s Blue Devils in a Final Four matchup Saturday. In a press release, the West Virginia Democrat couldn’t help but poke fun at favored Duke.

“Almost Heaven is no place for Devils of any sort, especially the Blue Devils!” Byrd says.

Byrd isn’t alone in his support of the Mountaineers: President Barack Obama told “Today Show” host Matt Lauer that the team has a good shot at winning it all.

“I think West Virginia has a great chance and I didn’t win that state, but they have a really good team,” Obama said (while also pointing out that his tournament bracket “is completely blown up”).

“I think the winner of West Virginia and Duke will end up winning the championship,” he added.

West Virginia fever seems to be sweeping the world of politics: Even Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (R) and Nick Rahall (D) — both Duke alums — have pledged their support for the Mountaineers, since they both are part of West Virginia’s Congressional delegation.

Rooting for the Blue Devils would amount to political suicide in the Mountain State, after all.

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