Many Clinton Backers Say Obama Won't Fall Victim To 'Residue Of Anger'

[Dharmacrat]

looks like the problem is starting to 'fix itself'

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jun/14/na-many-clinton-backers-say-obama-wont-fall-victim/?news-nationworld

By WILLIAM MARCH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 14, 2008

Updated: 7 min. ago

TAMPA - Former Tampa Mayor Sandy Freedman will vote for Barack Obama, but won't work for the campaign as she would have for Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Feminist and historian Doris Weatherford of Seffner will back Obama, but thinks American women lost a historic opportunity when Clinton's campaign ended.

And University of Tampa student Emily Yandle says with Clinton out of the race, she probably won't vote at all.

They're examples of a problem facing the Obama campaign: Women voters who were enthusiastic for Clinton but are making the transition to Obama grudgingly or not at all.

Many are angry about what they consider the sexist treatment of Clinton's campaign by her opponents and the news media. Although they may not blame Obama for that, the resentment makes it tough for them to accept her loss and his win.

In the past week, the McCain campaign has sought to take advantage of the situation by emphasizing Clinton supporters who are shifting to McCain and setting up an organization for Democrats and independents to back McCain.

But Obama campaigners, citing polling evidence, contend the problem is solving itself.

Women voters, they say, are coming over to Obama from Clinton and will continue to because of his stands on issues important to them: abortion, education, health care and the economy.

(snip)

She said ardent Clinton supporters are going through a period of mourning.

After that, she said, "Most of these women are automatically going to come back to Obama" because of abortion, the war, health insurance and economic issues.

(snip)

Some pro-Clinton women are ready to jump to Obama.

"When he became the nominee, he got my support," said state Sen. Arthenia Joyner of Tampa, a staunch Democrat.

"The Democrats have to keep their eyes on the prize. It's time to unite and work to recapture the White House."

link for the rest of the article (lots more - read it): http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jun/14/na-many-clinton-backers-say-obama-wont-fall-victim/?news-nationworld

[babylonsister]

1. You NEED to read this, and check out #5:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html

[Dharmacrat]

2. shortened it..... thanks

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. I don't want to rehash all the awful moments of the primary coverage,

but Hillary's supporters don't seem to mind the double standard. Hillary also had the chance to address the issue of race during this campaign, but she chose to use it to her advantage. Why do they feel that Obama should have taken on the issues of both racism & sexism, while Hillary never felt the need to address the country on matters of race, and chose to use sexism as a bludgeon, and an excuse for why she lost.

"Had something racist been said, everybody would have denounced it," she said. "There were so many sexist things said, and he never said anything about it. You speak out on the issues you feel strongly about."

Will Anger Or Support Transfer?

Freedman said Obama still could reap gains among female Clinton supporters by making a strong statement on sexism, as he did during the primary campaign on racism."

Unbelievable.

[papau]

4. We are all saying the same thing - vast majority will follow Hillary to Obama -but 6% gain by Obama

with Hillary as VP is real - and might be useful to Obama.

Indeed a united party might be useful for Obama.

But if Obama just wants votes and doesn't give a damn about Clinton supporters working for the campaign as hard as they would have for Clinton, and doesn't care about "margin of victory", then by all means chose someone other than Hillary.

That polling that the Hillary haters around Obama cite shows reluctant votes coming to Obama via Hillary's endorsement. Because Hillary is effective with her endorsement, Obama should not make her his VP? I love the logic.

I often wonder how many Obama fans/advisers don't give a damn about Obama - and are just Hillary haters/sexist - who will not have the energy shown during the primaries given the loss of motivation for the general.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. You don't have to be a "Hillary hater/sexist" to know that Hillary is not

the best choice for VP. We're still hearing rumors that there may be serious problems with vetting re: some of Bill's financial entanglements. Hillary on the ticket invites a whole host of new problems.

[vaberella]

6. Exactly. Plus, I keep getting the feeling that Obama will have to really pay to have her as VP

that doesn't sit well with me considering that he did grassroots organizing to earn the money for his camp. Not to mention as you mentioned above Tarheel_Dem, Bill is a problem which will not be tolerated by Obama's new form of government. If you can't or won't release your tax forms, then your not with the new methods and that won't be tolerated.

[roseBudd]

14. HRC as a VP also has a downside, her unfavorability & dishonesty rating are too high IMHO

I am female, I do not hate Hillary, but I always viewed her candidacy as a landmine due to her high infavorability quotient. I am thrilled that we have a candidate with charisma.

However once Hillary employed kitchen sink after she did not wrap up the nomination on Super Tuesday my feelings towards her joined the legions who have very unfavorable feelings towards her. I am not the only democrat to feel that way because of the type of campaign she decided to run. I also believe kitchen sink harmed her tremendously.

If California held their primary in June as they did in 1968 & 1992 Clinton would lose it. That indicates that democrats feeling towards her have evolved with the campaign.

Therefore the 18 million supporters talking point is inaccurate, in Ohio alone over 200,000 former Republicans changed parties to vote in the Dem primary. That doesn't count the unknown OH Republican who have never voted in a primary due to the late May date and did not have to fillout a party change form. I was of unknown political party because I had never voted in a primary. In 2004 there was no point as Kerry was the presumptive nominee, Clark was out & Edwards had no chance.

We cannot definitively count the Operation Chaos effect, but we do know it is a reality.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[VotesForWomen]

9. "stupid bitches?" wonder what you call stupid African Americans. you're a class act, and a prime

example of why many women won't vote for Obama; if you're the type of supporter he attracts, what does he really stand for?

[Political Heretic]

12. I complete agree that guy is being a dick, but your logic is still deeply flawed.

Do you realize how flawed the logic of equating in any way a support to the quality of a candidate is?

Did you see the "Hillary supporter" video? I don't for a single second think there's anyway someone can rightfully judge Senator Clinton by that crazy person. I could never imagine saying, "if that's the kind of person she attracts, what does she really stand for?" How insane would that sound?

The world is full of assholes. And some of them support Obama. I'm terribly sorry, but that's just the way it is.

Now as a matter of opinion, I think you are seriously wrong about women. I think the majority of women in america are very smart and very wise when it comes to protecting their fragile hold on their rights, and promoting the issues that matter to women (which are, of course, usually issues that ought to matter to everyone.)

Obama will get the overwhelming majority of the women's vote, but that will have less to do with the power of his charisma and zero to do with the random idiot Obama supporter - it will have everything to do with the wisdom and understanding of the majority of American women God bless their souls.

Sincerely,
Another Obama, and now democratic nominee, supporter.

[Political Heretic]

11. Is there a Major Asshole here? Yo!

Jesus.

Your a real class act. :eyes:

[Maddy McCall]

13. You have no authority on which to judge who is a real feminist and who is not.

Your post demonstrates such.

[Undercurrent]

8. Why aren't all these woman, who were so upset about sexism,

jumping up and down about the blatant, and cruel sexist (and racist) attacks against Michelle Obama? Where are all the feminists who supported Hillary? Their voices are so far silent. It's embarrassing to me as a woman, that they only get their wigs in a twirl about sexism towards their favored candidate, and no one else.

They should be ashamed of themselves.

[JVS]

10. Because Randi said nasty things about Hillary!

x(

[TheWraith]

15. It's only sexist if they disapprove of it.

And if it happens to someone in their club of who constitutes a "real woman."

[Larkspur]

16. Brave New Films has an ad that will change a lot of wonen's minds about McCain

Brave New Films: Welcome To John McCain’s Womens Clinic

This is a great ad that should be shown on TV often.