August 23, 2008 - 4:00pm
News

Clinton supporters say Biden pick leaves party divided

Many Clinton supporters in Maine are now enthusiastically supporting Obama. Some, however, are more hesitant to switch over.

Two of Maine's Hillary Clinton supporters are disappointed in Barack Obama’s vice presidential pick, and said it leaves them pondering what to do when Nov. 4 rolls around.

Penny Snow of South Portland and Carol Schiller of Portland were both prominent members of Team Hillary Maine, a group who worked to promote Sen. Clinton in the state.

Snow is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and said she has been actively involved in making sure a roll call vote takes place for Clinton in Denver, something the Obama campaign has agreed to.

Both women said they respect Joe Biden, but had hoped Hillary Clinton would be tapped for the job.

“My first thought was ‘why pick someone who got 629 votes instead of 18 million’,” Snow said. “I really like Joe Biden, but I think choosing Hillary would have united the party instantly and clinched the election.”

Snow said she isn’t sure what she’ll do in November – she’ll have a hard time voting for Obama.

Schiller said she’ll probably write in Clinton’s name.

“It doesn’t speak well for someone who built a platform on change to select someone who’s pretty predictable,” Schiller said.

Schiller wishes he would listen to the 18 million voters who supported Clinton.

“If he can’t hear (them) and respond, I can’t support him,” she said.

Earlier today, L. Sandy Maisel, a Colby College political science professor and former Democratic Congressional candidate, said that the notion of disenfranchised Clinton supporters was a creation of the media. Snow said that it’s a reality, and about half of Clinton’s primary voters are disenfranchised to some degree.

She claims Obama mistreated Clinton by discounting Michigan and Florida and painting the Clintons as racist. She said there was a tremendous media bias against Clinton.

“My gut feeling was if Hillary Clinton were a man she would have been offered (the vice presidency) a long time ago,” Snow said.

JESSICA ALAIMO is a PolitickerME.com Reporter and can be reached via email at jessica.alaimo@politickerme.com.

Comments

Media Creation


Maisel is absolutely correct, and politicker is just perpetuating the myth by publishing this. In every election, there will always be people who lost who will feel hurt and betrayed, and will lay blame wherever is easiest. They can either move on, or stay bitter. But ultimately, they did not win, and their threats fall on deaf ears.

08/23/08 5:15 pm

Reality Check


A myth? You've got to be kidding. Well, your deaf ears will lose this election. The party needs us more than we need them. We no longer trust the leadership or Obama. The primary was undemocratic, but every time we spoke up we were told to get in line or get out. So we listened.

This last blow of disrespect of Clinton, who got the most votes, is the final straw.

Lying to the American public that Clinton was on the short list while she was never even being considered! He just wanted to keep his anemic poll numbers from slipping into the 30's.

This is one of the millions of lifelong democrats who will sit this one out or send a protest vote to McCain if Clinton is not made the nominee next Wednesday. If the party wants to win the election, they'll do so.

08/23/08 7:00 pm

Some Clinton insiders


say she told Obama she wasn't interested because Bill refused to allow full vetting of his library donations.

Why is it some choose to believe one set of Clinton folks spreading rumors over a different set? Hillary has not said one way or the other herself, so there's no way to tell which "insiders" are telling the truth.

Clinton has been very clear as to what she wants her supporters to do. Doing the exact opposite seems to be seriously disrespecting her.

08/23/08 7:15 pm

a vote for clinton is a vote for mccain


I understand that some Hillary supporters are very disappointed that she lost. I don't understand why they are angry with Obama. Obama ran a very gentlemanly campaign, which still continues. Hillary ran a more contentious campaign and heaped much abuse upon Obama.

The real issue is whether you want Roe v. Wade Overturned, your civil liberties trampled, the enviroment degraded, and the continued borrowing of hundreds of billions from communist china, so that are billionares can have another tax cut. You may get some personal satisfaction about voting against Obama, but when the bill comes due, you will be sorry you did.

Hillary nearly won, and had she won, I would have voted for her without hesitation. So it is time to be sensible and do what is best for your country. Be a loyal democrat, and a loyal citizen who does what is best for their country. In your heart you know that means a vote for Obama.

08/23/08 8:21 pm

Hillary supporter for McCain


I am another one. I voted for Hillary in the
primary, and now I will help elect John McCain.

You're not alone!!!

Go PUMA!!!

08/23/08 8:26 pm

While there are certainly


some bona fide Clinton supporters who are upset, it is quite clear that MANY (possible most) of the folks posting comments to that effect are Republicans trying to create FUD.

The biggest pro-Clinton organization on the net proclaimed that they would have all of their members contribute to Clinton to reduce her camapign debt in July and that they would definitely add at least $6 million and probably about $10 million to her totals for the month.

Clinton's July numbers were miserable, $1.3 million total, and trended DOWN from the prior month.

Indications are than the "millions" of members this group claims were at best thousands, and maybe just hundreds - throughout the entire country.

All actual Clinton supporters I know personally are honoring her by following her request that they support Obama instead of slapping her in the face and doing the opposite.

08/23/08 8:39 pm

I am about as big a fan of


I am about as big a fan of Hilary as they get. I was distraught after she lost. I understand the pain but we need to vote and support the person who is best for our country, Maine and our childen and grandchilden's future.

Just do me a favor before you jump on the McCain train (wreck) just ask yourself who lines up with your values and hopes more - McCain or Obama.

In any way I can I'm backing Obama and Biden. We need to do what we know is right not what we think is sweet revenge. If we play gotcha in four years we'll all regret it.

08/23/08 9:35 pm

a gentlemanly campaign?


Obama literally gave Hillary the finger at a townhall meeting! Then he gave her another figurative one in the VP selection process. No way was that gentlemanly.

08/23/08 10:03 pm

"literally gave Hillary the


"literally gave Hillary the finger "

Wow - that one was so thoroughly and utterly disproved you'd think even trolls would know better! Are you earning some of those infamous McCain merchandise points for this one?

For those who may not be aware, there was another camera at a different angle shooting at the same time. Viewing that footage you could easily see he was scratching his face with two fingers at the same time. Even the most rabid anti Obama types had to concede it was a completely made up issue.

08/23/08 10:57 pm

Cranky is a Buffoon


To Cranky
If you really think that the disenfranchised Hillary supporters only number in the 100's, you Sir, are a Buffoon!
You and the corrupt DNC will see how strong we are next week, and again in November.
And although I am sure that I wouldn't like you if I met you, please don't be part of the largest suicide month in the history of America when Obama and his Lemmings go over the cliff in November, when he doesn't win.
Or do, I don't care.
Go PUMAs

08/23/08 11:49 pm

Hillary best bet in 2012


If John McCain wins, chances are he will face Hillary in 2012. If Obama wins, Hillary will never be President.

Something for Hillary supporters to think about....

08/24/08 12:25 pm

Respect for women


Once again, the Democrats old boys club chose the male lightweight (Obama) over the stronger and more experienced woman. This has been repeated over and over through the years...
John McCain married a woman who runs an enormous corporation, is wealthier than him, more educated, and flys her own jet...he clearly doesn't have a problem with strong women

08/24/08 12:32 pm

Ok a few things


First of all I don't want to alienate anyone but I feel like I should say a few things:

1. Navy Vet- first of all you sound very much like a republican tried to cause more arguing between democrats.

2. Also, can you give some more examples of the establishment choosing the 'male lightweight' over the 'more experienced woman'? I'd especially like you to focus on black males who hold no where near as many positions of politcal power as white women.

3. John McCain doesn't mind a strong woman? Yeah and apparently he had no problem cheating on his first wife either. Not to mention that I would claim Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton are both 'stronger' women than Cindy McCain. Hillary and Michelle worked their way up. Cindy is an heiress to a business tycoon.

4. robotech-cranky said at best thousands, maybe hundreds. He is basing this on protests and could very well be basing it on the justsaynodeal website you linked to that has a petition signed by fewer than 10,000 people. That is well below millions.

5. not voting for Obama-did you even look at the video response to the video you posted? that's the video that shows he was scratching with two fingers and it was something he did at various times throughout the speech (even when not talking about Hillary). Jon Stewart even did a spoof of the entire issue.

If you really supported Hillary for what she stood for and not for her gender I strongly encourage you to vote for Obama because his positions are infinitely closer to hers than McCain's are

08/24/08 1:02 pm

TommyL31 I never said


TommyL31

I never said Millions, but in fact, there ARE Millions in all the NoBama groups. Live with it.

And you can "stongly encourage" all you want, it ain't happening, live with that, too, bubba.

08/24/08 4:17 pm

Proof?


Where do you see evidence that there are millions of people who voted for Hillary in the primary and are not voting for Obama in the general election (especially ones who are specifically joining these online groups)?

Just give a little bit of support for your argument.

And you don't need to get defensive about my strong encouragement for people to vote for Obama if they voted for Hillary. I am fully aware that not everyone will I am simply making a case for it.

08/24/08 4:57 pm

Clinton with her legal


Clinton with her legal background could be in line for AG since Edwards is all washed up. Her tenacity could be very effective in that position.

If her supporters really want to to support her they need to wake up and realize that Hillery will still be doing a lot of politics over the next 4 years and for her to do any good there needs to be a democratic president and not a continuations of Bush's special interest politics.

Biden was a good choice because of his brutal honesty which is lacking greatly in politics today. Clinton's honesty comes to question from the white house records of her schedule to the fact that their marriage is only held together for political reasons. I do believe she can do some good in the areas but not at VP next to Obama.

08/25/08 8:46 am

thank you Hillary supporters


For all the pro-Hillary-voting-for-McSame folks... I hope you all will be happy when McSame and Co. overturns Roe v. Wade and takes away birth control, leaves us in Iraq for the next 100 years, and takes our civil liberties away.

You will only have yourselves to blame.

08/25/08 5:15 pm

Oh this law aka "conscience


Oh this law aka "conscience rule" allows anyone to refuse to perform any medical procedure they have a moral objection to. That includes the person who drives an ambulance, the nurse, even the pharmacist. There isn't even protection in the law for abortion when it is a required life saving procedure.

This is a basic human rights issue that goes deeper than Roe V. Wade.

08/25/08 9:07 pm

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