Despite Obama's Efforts, Clinton Supporters Won't Fade Away
Obama and Clinton released a statement of unity, but some Clinton supporters are still angry
Hillary Clinton's die-hard supporters are causing another stir in the run-up to the Democratic National Convention.
Barack Obama and party leaders have been trying to foster a sense of unity as the Illinois senator moves toward formally securing the Democratic presidential nomination at the convention, which starts August 25 in Denver. But Clinton's supporters refuse to fade away, and some think she could still win the party's nod with a last-minute campaign to elbow Obama aside.
Clinton backers are planning a demonstration in Denver on the second night of the gathering, when she is expected to speak. That's also the 88th anniversary of women's suffrage. But the Clinton movement doesn't stop there. Some of her backers want a roll-call vote to demonstrate her support; she got 18 million votes in the primaries but fell short of overtaking Obama in the delegate race. Hillary loyalists, including those at PUMA (Party Unity My Ass), hope they can persuade a few hundred Obama delegates to switch and turn the tide.
This isn't likely, because Obama's supporters seem just as committed to him as Clinton's are to her. But party leaders are concerned that the Hillary rebels will reopen old wounds and reignite the debate over whether she was treated fairly by Obama and the media as the first woman to be a serious presidential contender. Such a split could lead to an embarrassing mess in Denver just when Obama needs all the positive vibrations he can generate. He holds a slim lead over Republican John McCain nationally in the opinion polls.
While her loyalists continue to beat the war drums, Clinton appears to be making peace. She has agreed to participate in a rally for Obama in Nevada Friday and to appear at another event for him in Florida August 21. They held two joint fundraisers in New York last month.
Shortly after conceding the race, Clinton endorsed Obama, and last night they issued a joint statement again pledging unity. "We are working together to make sure the fall campaign and the convention are a success," they said in their announcement. "At the Democratic convention, we will ensure that the voices of everyone who participated in this historic process are respected and our party will be fully unified heading into the November election."
But the statement did little to diminish the ardor of the Hillary die-hards. They argue that she hasn't been given the respect she deserves even though Obama has apparently agreed to give her a coveted primetime speaking slot August 26 and he has been quite conciliatory. On Sunday, he endorsed the seating of the full delegations from Florida and Michigan, which had violated party rules by holding their primaries too early. Party leaders had penalized them, but Obama is now asking that the penalties be lifted. Clinton won both contests, although neither she nor Obama campaigned actively in the two states.
For their part, some Obama backers consider the hard-line Hillary supporters to be sore losers. "What usually happens is, if you lose, you go silent for a while," says an Obama strategist. "But Hillary's supporters haven't gone silent. They're still out there in the news."
"They went negative on us (in the primaries)," he adds. "But we didn't fight fire with fire. It could've been scorched earth, but that's not where our guy is."
Now, the Obama team's patience is being tested again, Obama advisers say. One particular problem is Bill Clinton's apparent reluctance to campaign publicly for Obama. The former president's role at the convention remains unclear.
Reader Comments
Chris in GA,
Our Candidate got the most votes without your support. How many of the 96% of black voters for Obama only voted for him because he's (half) black? Isn't basing your vote on someone's color ... RACIST?
News for you: blacks and youth, while favoring the democrats, both have notoriously low turn-out rates. The middle class whites, who your Sun-god Messiah insulted, are the reliable voters.
Oh and, BTW, nobody, especially us PUMAs, with our claws and our fangs, respond well to threats. Your challenge for '12 accepted with relish.
Hillary Clinton getting the Democratic Nomination
I believe the way Obama is going down in the polls especially
since his 'European' trip and his elitist pompous comments
at the Berlin wall.. acting like hes' already President.
combined with the fact that it's an uphill climb for
him to win over the forty percent or more of the white
vote that he needs to win the presidency.. combined
with the fallout from Rev. Wright.. and Michelle Obamas
comments about not being proud, along with Obama's elitist
comments about' white working class voters at San Francisco
etc..Now the ObaMA nATION BOOKS ETC. VETTING/OUTING HIM.
This should have been a shoe-in for any Democrat to be
beating the Republican nominee with Bush administration
getting such horrendously low national approval ratings.
Also Hillary is 'clearly' way more experienced and
qualified to be president.. and Obama who's claim to
fame was' his 'aura' and belief that 'he transcended
race.. while now "he' himself has brought race into
the mix... He's lost that trump card... ThaT ALONG
with the evidence that Hillary's supporters have not
for the most part crossed over into being Obama Supporters
make a 'very very' strong case for Hllary winning the
democratic nomination as she stands a much better chance
beating McCain.
The elephant in the room is 'political correctness.'
It's been said it will be this country's downfall.
Now with the stakes as high as they are and our country
being in such a vulnerable state. economically and
abroad. and the IRaq war etc.. So much hanging in
the balance. Will their be enough courage at the Democratic
Convention.. to overcome the fear and backlash from the
Black Community. and potential for violent racial opposition
should Hillary get the nomination over Obama. It seems
clear from even the backlash from Corsinis' book
on OBama Nation and a lot else.. that like Michelle Obama
herself said I believe. that Blacks don't trust whites
and are always expecting anything they get or achieve to be
'taken away ' from 'them' the Black Community.. In this case the Democratic Nomination. THe atmosphere is so tense
right now.. that nobody better say 'anything against
Obama. that any opposition is 'tagged' 'rascist.. I believe
the fear that an Obama Presidency will be the most
politically correct presidency is a very scary and
valid one. What will become of our Democratic freedoms
like Freedom of Speech under the First Amendment when
white people feel inhibited from saying anything against
Obama, his presidency.We already feel the pressure
and feel great restriction on our freedom of speech. Even Black people who dare Speak against Obama.. are considered traitors
to their race.Why should he be treated with kid gloves just
because he's black.. It's like 1984 and the Free Speech Police.
.
HOW TO SHUT DOWN THE bs
I really don't get the problem. Isn't the idea here to win?
If so many people want Hillary in the White House...why not just do it.
VP Is better than all this so called in fighting.
I personally don't think there is another candidate that can stand with Obama and fight the fight he is going to HAVE-to wage against the McCain-Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Libby-machine.
These people do not give a rats butt about truth honesty character constitution..and the list goes on.
What makes anyone think this is not all out war to keep America in the hands of the minds who produced The Patriot Act, spying on it citizens with impunity and subverting the AG's office to political puppets.
People, you better hope it Hillary...cause all the so-called potentials will not make it Thu the season alive.
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