July 10th, 2009
 

365 Gay: News

Clinton backers to make noise at Dem convention


(Washington) Still sore from an epic primary battle, some of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s supporters aren’t buying the unity theme planned for the Democratic National Convention.

They weren’t mollified when nominee-in-waiting Barack Obama gave prime-time speaking slots to Clinton and her husband, the former president. Instead, they’re itching for a fight and plan to wage one in Denver.

One group intends to paper the city with fliers, promote a video detailing what they contend were irregularities in the nominating process and unleash bloggers to give their take on the proceedings. Another group has purchased newspaper advertisements demanding that Clinton be included in a roll-call vote for the nomination.

“I am a very realistic woman,” said Diane Mantouvalos, co-founder of the Just Say No Deal Coalition. “I don’t think that anything is going to change, but I do think it is important to be heard, and this is our way of doing it.”

Some of the disaffected Clinton supporters are open to supporting Obama; many are not.

Obama needs Clinton’s supporters to beat Republican John McCain. Polls show that he has won over most of them. But some simply don’t like Obama or still feel Clinton was treated unfairly during the primaries.

These groups are not affiliated with Clinton, who has endorsed Obama and campaigned for him. Representatives from the Clinton and Obama campaigns said they are working to unify the party because Obama will champion issues important to Clinton supporters, such as reforming health care, improving the economy and ending the war in Iraq.

“Senator Clinton understands and appreciates that there are supporters who remain passionate, but she has repeatedly urged her supporters to vote for Senator Obama,” Clinton spokeswoman Kathleen Strand said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took a swipe at the Clinton die-hards Wednesday.

“I think Hillary Clinton has been very gracious,” the San Francisco Democrat told Bay Area talk show host Ronn Owens. “I think some of her supporters have been less than gracious.”

Nevertheless, many Clinton activists plan to voice their discontent in Denver.

Mantouvalos, a Miami public relations consultant, said her network is renting a 5,000-square-foot loft in Denver for its bloggers. Another outfit called The Denver Group is planning a reception the evening Hillary Clinton speaks at the convention. The group, which is pushing for Clinton’s name to be placed in nomination, also hopes to raise enough money for a TV ad.

The Clinton and Obama campaigns have pledged in a joint statement to “ensure that the voices of everyone who participated in this historic process are respected” at the convention.

They have not, however, decided whether Clinton’s name will be placed in nomination.

“The only way a Democratic Party will have the credibility to elect a Democrat in November is if the party uses a legitimate process to choose its nominee,” said Heidi Li Feldman, co-founder of The Denver Group. “We are not per se a Clinton support group, we are a Democratic Party get-your-act-together support group.”

Some of the activists complain the Obama campaign manipulated party caucuses; others feel the media treated Clinton unfairly. Nearly all are still angry over how the party divvied up delegates from the Florida and Michigan primaries.

With the agreement of all Democratic candidates, the states were initially stripped of all their delegates for violating party rules by holding early primaries. None of the candidates campaigned in the two states, but Clinton won the two primaries and thereafter tried to get all the delegates seated.

The national party reinstated the delegates in May, but gave each a half vote. And it awarded Obama some Michigan delegates, although he had taken his name off that ballot because of the party’s initial decision.

With the nomination clinched, Obama said this month that he would seek to give both delegations full voting rights.

At the very least, the activists want Clinton’s name put in nomination, with a full roll-call vote. Some won’t be satisfied unless Clinton is declared the nominee - an unlikely prospect. Others would be happy if Clinton were asked to run for vice president - also unlikely.

Feldman, a Georgetown University law professor, said she is a loyal Democrat who won’t vote for McCain, but Obama hasn’t won her support. Will Bower, co-founder of the Just Say No Deal Coalition, said he would only support the Democratic candidate if her name is Clinton.

“I have been voting Democratic for 18 years. I only voted for Democrats, from dog catcher to president and everything in between,” said Bower, who lives in Washington. “I will be voting for someone other than Barack Obama come November.”



Comments (7)
  • Bart Mortensen Said: August 14th, 2008 at 9:15 am
    • Oh good grief! Get over it already!. We lost–he won, and we don’t want John McBush to win, so let’s not cut off our noses to spite our faces. We’re starting to sound mighty “petty”.

  • LOrion Said: August 14th, 2008 at 11:15 am
    • Don’t these people have any brains??? Or are they all female?? and hormonal.. Don’t jump to conclusions I am female, and hormonal and I know how difficult that is to fight sometimes, completely irrational thinking!
      Not that men don’t do it too. Look at J. Edwards! Talk about hormonal.
      Anyway ‘demonstrating’ is the American way, but this is embarrassing!

  • Chris Sulivan Said: August 14th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
    • It was announced today that Clinton’s name will be put into nomination and that Clinton will concede all of her votes to Obama. While merely a gesture, it might help. To be honest, since Obama won by only the narrowest of margings and with Clinton gatehring 18 million votes - I find it a bit foolish on HIS part to have not seriously considered Clinton as his VP. I don’t think this is embarassing - this is a very high volume of people who dont accept being simply set aside. Obama has been acting as if he had a mandate, nothing could be further from the truth. Do I think Clinton supporters should vote for him? Yes, I do. However, it is very fortunate for Obama that McCain is so beholdent to the conservative part of his party - if he were even the slighest bit more moderate (especially on social issues) he would probably be able to pull in a lot more Clinton backers than he will be able to. I wanted Clinton. I am not crazy about Obama, but he’s far better than McCain - so it’s a done deal in my mind.

  • Desert Bat Said: August 14th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
    • It is interesting to note that in AZ, a supposed stronghold for McCain, we are being bombarded for ads for him with a very few for Obama. Democrats should not sweat having a robust convention where all voices are heard.

      McCain and the Republicans are rightfully scared and no amount of suppressing and orchestrating their disident voices covers that fact. I am thinking of watching the Republican convention because I am having some trouble getting enough sleep.

  • CHris Sullivan Said: August 14th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
    • Yes, speeches from McCain do have that “cure for insomnia effect” don’t they?

  • Pat Said: August 15th, 2008 at 8:15 am
    • Sour grapes. These idiots will do anything they can to keep the rift in the party wide open and allow McButthead to slide right on through that huge opening. She lost. Get over it.

  • Scotch9 Said: August 25th, 2008 at 9:27 am
    • Let’s be clear here people. Obama does not support Gay marriage. The Clinton’s were the first national politicians to stand up for gay people. If Obama wanted to unite the party he had the chance and did not. I cant find any where Obama has been such a great advocate for us. Just words on his site. Even John Mc Cain called the right wingers “agents of intolerence”. Gay poeple are a solid block of voters that show up at the polls. Whats the number, about 7 to 10 million. The Democrats are taking our votes for granted. Ifyoyu dont ask for equal rights we will never get them. Dont just fall in line. Demand the change for us too.