Hillary Clinton Supporters Still Bitter over Election Loss

Hillary Clinton Supporters Still Bitter over Election Loss   (Photo by David L. Roberts: AFRO Staff) 

By Zenitha Prince
Washington Bureau Chief

DENVER (August 27, 2008) - The race between Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama has been as much a clash between personalities as it has been a clash between two social movements, each vying for the ultimate prize. And this week, those movements come to a head at the Democratic National Convention as the nation celebrates two anniversaries: the 88^th anniversary of women winning the right to vote and the 45^th anniversary of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream Speech.”

For many African Americans, having Sen. Obama claim the Democratic Party’s first nomination of a Black candidate on the anniversary of King’s auspicious speech is the ultimate triumph over centuries of enslavement and racial discrimination.

But that victory is overshadowed by a feeling among Clinton’s supporters that sexism was at the heart of her loss and that somehow, the Democratic Party was trying to suppress the voices of the 18 million people who voted for the New York senator.  “Eighty-eight years and we still don’t count… Eighty-eight years and they’re still trying to shut us up. We’re 52 percent of the population—we count,” shouted Betty Jean Kling, her face awash in tears and her raspy voice tinged with a sharp edge of regret that cut like a knife.

The Shippensburg, Pa. resident was one of hundreds who marched from the Civic Center Park as part of the 18 Million Voices march organized by RiseHillaryRise, one of several grassroots organizations supporting Clinton.

Frani Candlin, of Colorado, a member of grassroots Clinton organization Party Unity My A** said of the event:  “We want to send a clear message that the [Democratic National Committee] and Obama need to take sexism as seriously as racism.”

Saying she understands more clearly why some African American don’t vote, Candlin said many of Clinton’s female supporters feel like the Democratic Party was taking them for granted and accusing them of whining instead of listening to their legitimate concerns.  “Women are being expected to fall in line and support the DNC without the DNC supporting us,” she said. “And they are torn apart—they want to support the Democratic Party but they don’t know what to do with their feelings.”

Carol Parlin, co-coordinator for San Francisco’s 18 Million Voices march said the event on Tuesday was less a protest and more of a celebration.  “We’re at this interesting point in history where you had the first viable woman who had the credentials to become president and so we want to celebrate that achievement along with the women’s right to vote.”

For her supporters, a proper celebration of the former first lady’s achievement would have been her inclusion on the ticket. An act, they say, that would have satisfied the DNC’s call for unity.  “[Fostering unity] could have been done by simply putting her on the ticket,” said William Chirolas, 66, from Boston. “[But] Obama doesn’t want unity; he wants concession to him as the head of the party.”

Most Clintonites said they will settle for having her name on the ballot during voting on Wednesday. Though DNC officials say they expect a smooth process, Clinton’s supporters aren’t so sure.  “We are supporting Sen. Clinton’s candidacy and we want a vote; we want to honor the 18 million votes for her, the 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling,” Senator  Dianne Feinstein ( D-Calif.), told the marchers. “And if you are an elected, pledged, Hillary delegate--like I am from California-the DNC rules say honor your conscience. And if the voters elected you, you should vote for Hillary on the first ballot.”

After much applause Feinstein added, “And then after Hillary’s candidacy is recognized and respected and those 18 million voters are recognized we will come out and support Obama.”  Feinstein’s last statement was met by near silence, signaling a continuing reluctance among some Clinton supporters for Obama.

To some degree, it signals a belief that the DNC somehow stole the vote from Clinton.

“She is the officially elected candidate; Obama was selected by the DNC—[Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and [Senate Majority Leader] Reid—and the media,” said Cate Sampson, middle-aged African-American woman from Columbus, Ohio. “I’ve been a Democrat all my life but I will never vote for him. It’ll be a stolen vote. I’m sitting this one out.”

For others, it is simply a matter of familiarity.  Paul Moreno, ‘dean” of the Texas House of Representatives said though he would abide with DNC voting process and support Obama,  his “conscience will be with Hillary.”  He said, “I’m a Democrat; I will vote for a Democrat. But Mexican Americans know Hillary much better than the senator from Illinois and I still think Hillary would have been the best representative for [us].”

Others say they just don’t trust the Illinois senator.  Referring to “NAFTA-gate,” an alleged memo sent by Obama's campaign to Canadian officials to saying they should disregard his criticisms of NAFTA—which later turned out to be false—and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright imbroglio, Chirolas said though he wants to believe in Obama, he can’t.  If I believed his policy positions I would vote for him,” he said. “Hillary’s wishing he does pursue those policies, too, and she’ll do what it takes to elect him. But I’m done wishing. I’ll write in Hillary’s name or vote for McCain.”

Chirolas is one among many Clinton supporters who say they will not vote for the Democrats’ choice, a reality the Obama camp has yet to accept, Candlin said.  “I think Obama is in the honeymoon stage and it hasn’t really hit him yet how many women are unhappy,” said Candlin, who said she has not seen enough effort on the part of Obama to reach out to Clinton supporters. “I think he thinks they’re going to come around because they don’t want to vote for McCain.”  Fifty-two percent would, according to an Aug. 20 NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. However, another 21 percent of Clinton supporters say they will vote for McCain and another 27 are undecided or will vote for someone else.

The trend bodes ill for Obama’s chances in the fall but also for the Democratic Party, some said.  Judy Fralia-Mantello, who came from Portland, Ore., with her husband Danny declared: “I used to be a strong Democrat—not any longer because I saw so much corruption in the Democratic Party this year.”