Unity in Unity, N.H.? Not so much for some Hillary Clinton backers

Our cousins over at The Swamp have an item this morning spotlighting just how nagging a problem Barack Obama faces in trying to woo some disappointed Hillary Clinton supporters in facing off against John McCain. It seems a couple of notable New Hampshire Democrats -- James McConaha, a former Clinton administration farm official in New Hampshire, and his Democratic activist wife, Valery Mitchell -- have no intention of hopping aboard the Unity bus.

Picking up a story in the Nashua Telegraph, the couple has agreed to lead Democrats for John McCain. And that's not the only anti-Obama group out there composed of Clinton supporters. In fact, though polls show most of her backers moving to Obama, there is a large and vociferous crowd out there that refuses to go along.

Whether this is enough of a counter tide to have an effect in November is the big question, of course. And it will matter most in the battleground states -- a few thousand Clinton supporters voting for McCain here in California, for instance, isn't likely to turn the state red. But it could be an issue in states where the red-blue divide is narrower.

Regardless, campaigns are an amalgamation of a lot of moving parts, and it can't be a good distraction for the Obamans to have to go out and try to run down strays from the Democratic herd.

-- Scott Martelle

Comments

[Al]

Leave it to Democrats to shoot themselves in the foot... The transgressions of the Republican party in the last 7 years are historically audacious. And yet with all this, Democrats can't see the forest for the trees... Keep going Dems. Focus on your short term hurt feelings. The Republicans are enjoying your help.

[Serene Love]

Here is sad thing! Some of votes including some smaller percentage of Democrats not voting for him because Obama is Black, African American, or more offensive N-Word.

I would not be surprise upon Obama winning the Presidency, there will be serveral attempts and plots to ASSASSINATE Obama. These will be people from officially or unoffically Republicans. These individuals will never bow down to a non-white male leader. The same can be said if it Hilliary winning Democratic Nomination but to a lesser degree.

[SusiePuma]

My 2 cents - Democratic Party kicked me to the curb & then threw me under the bus - damn it's crowded under here - so my voting for McCain or anyone else besides Obama is my right.............Obama is immature, inadequate & unqualified to be president of this country and if voting for McCain makes that impossible - I'm there.........the DNC selected this empty suit & refused to let the best person for the job be elected - if the party implodes - so be it........I vote the person, not the party - unfortunately, Obama is not the person I want for president.............

[Dave]

A vote for Obama is a vote for Osama. The terrorists always said they would get us from the inside. Now they have their sleeper planted and all of you idiots are going to vote for him. You think we need to pull out of Iraq becuase it's a useless war and not ours. You would rather have the suicide bombers here in the USA blasting and killing women and children? He called his own grandmother "a typical white woman". What about all of the "typical americans". Isn't that what we should be? Let's get off of the color game. You are either an American and proud of it or not!! Obama won't wear an American flag pin, only because he's not really an American, he's a TERRORIST.

[Senjh]

Let me see if I understand these geniuses -- they want to support McCain in order to have a President who opposes virtually everything Hillary believes in and fights for?...and part of that is because the media who early on branded her as the foregone conclusion to be he nominee, gave Obama some time also. Democrats for Opposing Hillary's Ideas should be the name of this group.

[luvwknd]

Come on Democrats!

You have seen what 8 years of a Repuklican regime did to this country, so quit your bickering about Hillary losing to Obama and stand behind the candidate that won the Democratic nomination - Obama!
If you want change then vote your party and vote Obama because there is nothing you can do now for Hillary! If you like what the Repuklican regime has done over the last 8 years then vote McSame, however if you are a Hillary supporter and vote McSame, then you obviously wern't listening to Hillary during any of her speeches and you obviously aren't a true Democrat anyway!
Any red blooded American who votes Repuklican is a friggen IDIOT!

[NH]

GO PUMA !!!!

The Dem Party lied, cheated and rigged this primary election. We need to stop this behavior now and take back our Democracy. We cannot allow Party leaders, and Corporate Leaders to chose our President and the buy the MSM coverage.

We must show them this is not a strategy that will work. Wake up America!!! Better to have McCain for 4 years then allow this travesty to succeed.

[Jeanne]

I have no words for those people who are so petty that they would try to swing an election to McCain when they "say" they are Democrats. They aren't Democrats at all or they would think of the greater good instead of a personal snit. I hope I never meet one of these sore loser cry-babies because they make my skin crawl. On the War, conservation, economics, big oil and every other issue John McCain is as Republican as anyone can be. He isn't the "maverick" anymore and that's the new reality. I honestly don't want these Hillary-supporters in the Democratic Party anymore. They are no more important than any other voter, but they need to get a clue.

[Myron]

This story is being kept alive by the media. There aren't enough stragglers from Hillaryland to constitute a serious threat to Obama's chances. And thus, he won't be running after every stray. He will be devoting his energy to beating McCain, as he should.

Obama will lose one way and one way only: The complete destruction of his name and reputation. If the GOP cannot pull that off, they're in for a mighty long winter.

[LOWELL]

Vote for either doesn't matter the american century is over. The great start in the new century we got from the clinton admin was squandered by the george bush babyboomers selfish bastards. they've destroyed this once great nation so it doesn't matter who pilot this sinking ship

[ainnj]

Actually most Hillary supporters who are not voting for Obama are doing so because they do not feel Obama is qualified for the position and what little they do know about his past political connections is at best somewhat suspect.

[Steven Weikert]

I am not going to question the motives of those Hillary backers who insist that McCain is a better choice come November than Obama. Sure, there are probably a very small number who would never vote for a black man, but I'm sure none of the posters on this blog fall into that despicable minority.

However I challenge any of those supposed Democrats who expressed an intention to vote for McCain to affirm the following:

"I am willing to let John McCain nominate another Scalia, Alito, Roberts or Thomas to the Supreme Court rather than see Barack Obama elected president"

I DARE YOU.

[Matthew]

How can you move from Hillary to McCain? Hillary is voting for Obama. If you had a clue you would know that Obama is your next best bet if you supported Hillary and if you don't agree you were supporting Hillary for the wrong reasons. The world watched you vote George Bush in twice so I guess it's possible a third time. You don't realize the damage you are doing to yourselves with your shallow, emotionally based decisions. Please do some homework and you'll realize how you will be smearing the face of America again, in front of the rest of the world, by voting for McCain.

[Cliff]

elizabeth bauersox "Don't judge other people by yourself" Then I should judge people with a group??

I am not judging people I am stating my own opinion based on 42 years as a minority in this country. There will be a landslide in november, just not the one you expect.

[Edward Cating]

Democrats for McCain? Wow. I wonder, will there be a big bin somewhere for all those noses that former Clinton backers are cutting off to spite their faces?

[sep332]

I think a lot of people are missing the point. Why should we have our candidates force-fed to us by national parties? I can vote for anyone I like, from any party (even Green, Constitution, Libertarian, etc.) if I want. If you don't like one of the major candidates, go shopping elsewhere. Be vocal! Let people know that the major parties don't speak for you anymore. If you still can't find a candidate you like, say that too.

I currently agree with slavicdiva: "Right now, I have no candidate, and nobody to vote for."

[Rebecca]

Wow! I can't believe some Clinton backers are willing to sacrifice so much. Maybe if they start looking at the candidates stances on women's issues, the environment and international relations, they might realize the error of their ways. Most Clinton supporters have already done this and realize that a vote for McCain will set back the women's movement 50+ years.

[TheDiplomat]

These people were never Hillary backers to begin with. They were anti-Obama supporters. They were going to vote republican no matter who was nominated!

[Joseph]

Frieda, here is what is at stake if you help get another republican elected to office:

Supreme court justices that will uphold laws that truly are meant for the people and not big business
Continued squandering of trillions of dollars in the relentless war to make government smaller (this is the central mission of the republicans)
More money spent on the wrong war (We should be focused on Afghanistan and not Iraq)
The federal government trampling states' rights
The abomination that is called the Patriot Act

There are more (like the way we treat prisoners at Guantanamo), but you should get the gist. So go ahead and vote for Senator McCain if eight years of President Bush has not shown you any evidence.

Oh, and btw, take a good look at Mr McCain's voting record as it pertains to women.

[Royce]

I wish someone would dig up what these so called "McCain-backing Democrats" said when they voted for Bush in 2004 and 2000. As much as I'm for equality, sometimes deep down I wish stupid people weren't allowed to vote.

[Winston Smith]

What incredible idiocy. I hope Hellary will run through flak fire to bring unity and peace like she did in Serbia dn Ireland, and when she was growing up poor in Indiana and Pennsylvania and Connecticut and Arkansas and Michigan and Minnesota and Ohio and Colorado and North Dakota.

[John Snapp]

What do pools have do with it redneck, how about the polls. idiot

[Cryos]

I love the contradictory 2 approaches that Obama supporters take to try to convince people.

1. Obama is about change, change, change and a new type of politician.

2. Obama and Hillary are identical on issues

So which is it change or the same? I feel sorry for how confused Obama supporters must be on a daily basis. It must require some sort of multiple personality disorder.

[Josh]

Barack Obama needs to put Hillary Clinton on his ticket as the VP and all this animosity will go away. I am a Hillary supporter who will probably support Barack... but my decision hangs in the balance relative to his treatment of her in the VP selecting process.

[ainnj]

"Oh, and btw, take a good look at Mr McCain's voting record as it pertains to women.

Posted by: Joseph | June 27, 2008 at 10:12 AM "

Oh, and btw, take a good look at Obama's voting record as it pertains to....oh wait a minute, sorry about that, not much to look at there unless you count "present" votes as a judge of a candidates measure...