Kinda Scary.
Snipets from a Wall Street Joural article this morning:
Infighting Worries Democrats
Split Between Backers Of Clinton and Obama Lifts Republican Hopes
By JONATHAN KAUFMANMarch 11, 2008; Page A4
The groups that for months have energized the Democratic campaign and have given Democrats high hopes -- blacks, women and young voters -- are increasingly sniping at each other, raising concerns that the battle could create problems in the November election.
More Republicans now say they are satisfied with Sen. John McCain than Democrats are with either Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton.
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"As things become more competitive, people's language heats up a bit," says Ellen Malcolm, head of Emily's List, the women's fund-raising group, who supports Sen. Clinton. "After the convention, we will all come together. People on the Democratic side are highly energized to take back the White House."
Other Democratic leaders, including veterans of hard-fought contests, worry about the emerging divisions. "I am fearful; we are heading into uncharted territory," says Donna Brazile, who was Al Gore's campaign manager in 2000 and is now an uncommitted superdelegate. "Over the past few weeks, the mood and the tone has shifted. The Clinton backers are as adamant as the Obama people. The undertones [about race and gender] are the kind of cultural fault lines that lead to divisions. It is alarming and sickening."
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Republican pollster Bill McInturff says the longer the race goes on, "there isn't much time to heal. If you have a party made up of a disparate coalition of race, ethnicity and gender, that is very precarious and can be a hard thing to repair."
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Black radio talk shows are ablaze with callers saying they will stay home in November if Sen. Clinton wins the nomination. Warren Ballentine, a nationally syndicated show host, says he has been flooded with calls and emails from African-Americans saying they won't vote for Sen. Clinton.
"If she would have won a few months ago, people would have been cool with it," Mr. Ballentine says. "But because of everything that has happened, African-Americans are getting to the point now that there is no way on God's green earth we are going to vote for her."
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Anger is also appearing among women supporting Sen. Clinton. Connie Swanson, a teacher in Fort Worth, Texas, voted for Sen. Clinton in the primary and tried to recruit friends to caucus for her. "If Obama gets it, I'm voting Republican," she says. "I've watched all the debates, and I honestly don't get it. He's like a fantasy."
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Supporters of Sen. Clinton also worry about young voters, male and female, who have turned out in large numbers for Sen. Obama. "Young students for Obama could stay home; that's one reason I am so furious at them," says Fran Reiter, former deputy mayor of New York and a Clinton supporter. "They are all excited about him, and they don't have any staying power. If Obama doesn't get the nomination, do they get angry again and crawl back into their apathetic hole?"
Republicans are gleeful. Six weeks ago, Shawn Fago, a Rudy Giuliani supporter and head of the Orange County Young Republicans, was despondent and looking enviously at the energy among his Democratic friends. Now, he has switched to Sen. McCain and says he is "super excited about how much disarray the Democrats are in. The best-case scenario is that this all goes to the convention and Hillary wins and all the Obama supporters feel disenfranchised and they stay home. It's beautiful."
---------------------------------------
My comments: I blame She Who Must Not Be Named. Her intense denial that anyone but herself should be the nominee has caused a HUGE rift in the party. Proof positive that she is the Queen of Polarization. If McCain wins in November, we'll know who to thank. Sheesh.
I can hardly watch this train wreck about to happen. It's rather disheartening.
Infighting Worries Democrats
Split Between Backers Of Clinton and Obama Lifts Republican Hopes
By JONATHAN KAUFMANMarch 11, 2008; Page A4
The groups that for months have energized the Democratic campaign and have given Democrats high hopes -- blacks, women and young voters -- are increasingly sniping at each other, raising concerns that the battle could create problems in the November election.
More Republicans now say they are satisfied with Sen. John McCain than Democrats are with either Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton.
-------------------------------------
"As things become more competitive, people's language heats up a bit," says Ellen Malcolm, head of Emily's List, the women's fund-raising group, who supports Sen. Clinton. "After the convention, we will all come together. People on the Democratic side are highly energized to take back the White House."
Other Democratic leaders, including veterans of hard-fought contests, worry about the emerging divisions. "I am fearful; we are heading into uncharted territory," says Donna Brazile, who was Al Gore's campaign manager in 2000 and is now an uncommitted superdelegate. "Over the past few weeks, the mood and the tone has shifted. The Clinton backers are as adamant as the Obama people. The undertones [about race and gender] are the kind of cultural fault lines that lead to divisions. It is alarming and sickening."
--------------------------------------------
Republican pollster Bill McInturff says the longer the race goes on, "there isn't much time to heal. If you have a party made up of a disparate coalition of race, ethnicity and gender, that is very precarious and can be a hard thing to repair."
----------------------------------------------
Black radio talk shows are ablaze with callers saying they will stay home in November if Sen. Clinton wins the nomination. Warren Ballentine, a nationally syndicated show host, says he has been flooded with calls and emails from African-Americans saying they won't vote for Sen. Clinton.
"If she would have won a few months ago, people would have been cool with it," Mr. Ballentine says. "But because of everything that has happened, African-Americans are getting to the point now that there is no way on God's green earth we are going to vote for her."
----------------------------------------------
Anger is also appearing among women supporting Sen. Clinton. Connie Swanson, a teacher in Fort Worth, Texas, voted for Sen. Clinton in the primary and tried to recruit friends to caucus for her. "If Obama gets it, I'm voting Republican," she says. "I've watched all the debates, and I honestly don't get it. He's like a fantasy."
--------------------------------------------
Supporters of Sen. Clinton also worry about young voters, male and female, who have turned out in large numbers for Sen. Obama. "Young students for Obama could stay home; that's one reason I am so furious at them," says Fran Reiter, former deputy mayor of New York and a Clinton supporter. "They are all excited about him, and they don't have any staying power. If Obama doesn't get the nomination, do they get angry again and crawl back into their apathetic hole?"
Republicans are gleeful. Six weeks ago, Shawn Fago, a Rudy Giuliani supporter and head of the Orange County Young Republicans, was despondent and looking enviously at the energy among his Democratic friends. Now, he has switched to Sen. McCain and says he is "super excited about how much disarray the Democrats are in. The best-case scenario is that this all goes to the convention and Hillary wins and all the Obama supporters feel disenfranchised and they stay home. It's beautiful."
---------------------------------------
My comments: I blame She Who Must Not Be Named. Her intense denial that anyone but herself should be the nominee has caused a HUGE rift in the party. Proof positive that she is the Queen of Polarization. If McCain wins in November, we'll know who to thank. Sheesh.
I can hardly watch this train wreck about to happen. It's rather disheartening.
posted by cindy at 3/11/2008 08:06:00 AM
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