Some Hillary Clinton delegates remain displeased over 'unity' push

The “unity’’ convention in Denver is over. But some Hillary Clinton delegates are back home in California stewing over what they describe as pressure from Barack Obama allies to create a false image of overwhelming support for the new Democratic presidential nominee.

The Clinton delegates say that during the four-day conclave, Obama delegates opposed efforts to schedule a full, 50-state roll call vote that would attest to Clinton’s true support. What happened instead was an abbreviated roll call vote, cut off by Clinton herself so that Obama would be nominated by acclamation.

As part of that push, some of the Clinton backers grouse, Obama supporters made plain through pointed remarks that the Clinton delegates needed to switch sides and vote for the eventual nominee.

A fair amount of that happened. The final delegate tally was 3,188.5 for Obama; 1,010.5, Clinton, according to numbers released today by the Democratic National Committee. When the primary season....

...ended in June, the tally was much closer, with Clinton trailing Obama in delegates by less than a 10% margin.

Within the huge California delegation, lots of Clinton delegates got with the program. Although she handily won the state's primary back in February, the California convention vote -- as belatedly recorded -- was Obama, 273; Clinton, 166.

Diana Madoshi, a Clinton delegate from Rocklin, Calif., said: “It was sort of phony. We had to show all this unity. Well, if you’re pressing people to get on the same train and they’re not ready, that’s not true unity. The roll call vote should have been genuine. I don’t think it served us by it not being genuine.’’

Raymond Penko, a Clinton delegate from San Diego who campaigned door-to-door for her, said it was difficult to get Clinton signs onto the floor of Denver's Pepsi Center. Some of the New York senator's supporters wound up using roll-up signs that could be tucked away and smuggled into the arena, he said.

There was even discussion of using body paint to transmit pro-Clinton messages.

Added Penko: “There was pressure all around to conform to what I would call the old boys club. There was pressure to conform to the unity ticket. As soon as Obama delegates heard that one was a Hillary supporter, they would shun you, tell you to get over it, say ‘Stop being a cry baby. What’s your problem? Don’t you want to win in November?’ ’’

Both Penko and Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred (shown above) circulated a petition for a full roll call vote. They couldn’t round up enough signatures.

Allred, a Clinton delegate well-known in Southern California for her public-relations flair, grew frustrated last week with what she saw as efforts to muzzle her and, as The Ticket noted, showed up at a delegation breakfast one morning with a gag made up of restaurant napkins.

She's still not happy with what transpired at the Democratic gathering.

“This was a scripted convention,’’ she said earlier this week. “There really was no room for dissent for Hillary supporters. Not even room for discussion.’’

-- Peter Nicholas

Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[N.E. BodybutHiillary]

Grow up ladies.

[Jamie]

Grown ladies don't look up to little men.

The only redemption out there right now, is to vote for McCain and Sarah Palin. Obama is an empty suit.

[Ethan]

And because of this Democrats will lose in November.

Well, maybe not anymore since the Palin catastrophe, however there are still a lot of Dems who are angered by the process and the way the Obama camp has treated Clinton supporters from the beginning.

Telling people to grow up and stop whiny is not a way to achieve unity. It's a way to show how immature the new leaders of the Democratic party are.

[GOPBabe]

Im ABHORRED by the way HRC was treated in the media and at the convention by O'blahma.. now its happening to Sarah Palin.
It's about time the WOMEN in this country come together and finally elect a woman to high office!

McCainPalin 08
HRC 2012

[Amie]

How long is the media gonna milk this thing?!

[Larry]

These Clinton delegates better get over it -- FAST. What is their choice? Sarah Palin? The Clinton supporters have become Miss Havishams of 2008 (remember her from Great Expectations?).

[Tired of Allred]

Glroia Allred or Alred needs to take a chill pill. She is a media pariah out there trying to promote herself. She is the famle verison of Al Sharpton and they both need to sit down and shut up. If she doesn't like the results, then she needs to run. As if anyone would vote for her. I think sometimes, we forget that history would have been made either way. As an African American male myself, I am happy that Barrack won the nomination but I would have been just as happy if Hillary Clinton had won. There was both racism and sexism displayed in this race. It's over, we have our nominee now let's defeat John McCain and Sarah Palin.

[BJ]

Strong arm tactics from Obama? Naaaahhh...really? You mean the "anointed one" has to force people to vote for him?

If you think otherwise, where have you been all year? This is how he stole the nomination from Hillary. So now, we shall repay him in kind. We will take this election away from him, by voting for McCain/Palin!

[julie]

CNN = Sexist
NYTimes = Sexist
Obama (just call them sweetie) = Sexist
US Weekly Magazine = Sexist
DNC = Sexist

[Kerry]

I am so sick to death of the judgemental blogs and comments that I read on Palin and her daughter. I totally agree that the background of any of our public offices should be checked. That i agree with. I am thinking terrosit ties, bombings, murder etc.. you get the picture.

Here's the problem I have. A lot of people are being very judgemental to this woman for something her daughter has done and treating her like she loves the idea her 17 year old is pregnant. What do you expect her to do disown her? Further more, a lot of people act like this is so horrible when probably 8 out of 10 of you know someone in the same situtation, maybe not a direct family member, but probably a friend. Maybe this will turn the heat up on the teenage pregnancy issue and maybe this being such a hot issue right now will make parents realize it can happen to anyone, but try to prevent the problem by talking to their kids before it happens. So for those of you who think shes exploiting her daughter, all your seeing is whats going on when the camera is on. Did you stop to think about whats going on when the cameras off?

And by the way, I am a registered democrat, so dont think I am doing this because of my political party. I am just sick of you all out there acting so holier then thou.. I am quite sure if you looked in your own backyard, it wouldnt be perfect either.

[anonymous]

As a female, if I saw a female candidate that was honest and capable of running this country, I'd vote for them. I haven't seen one yet in any presidential campaign.

I wouldn't hire Hillary or Sara to run my company, let alone the United States of America!

Obama.

[Go Away Gloria Allred]

I cannot wait for her 15 minutes to be over, how many more ambulances can this woman chase?

[Jimmy]

Many of the things written on this blog are the same things that were said about Nader in 2000. People that vote for McCain can live with that on thier conscience as he further ruins our planet, our economy and our future.

[Anthony]

If there had a been a full roll call, Gloria Allred would have put Gloria Allred in nomination.

[Brandon]

Well, that's it. Obama stole the nomination with the help of his ultra-loony left party honchos. Time for this Democrat to leave this disgusting excuse for a party and cast a protest vote for McCain/Palin.

Maybe we can take our party back from the Chicago thugs and the Nutroots when the "Precious" loses by a landslide in November. They'll all get in the streets and riot like the idiots they are and that will be the end of the mockery they've made of the Democratic Party. Only then can real Democrats step in and take it back. I can't wait.

[Reality Check]

"Grow up ladies."

You grow up and cut the sexist comments. Because of this sham of a roll call, Senator Obama and the corrupt Democratic party will lose.

Our founding fathers would be turning over in their graves if they knew how this party trampled on democracy during this primary. Sorry a real vote is so threatening and embarrassing. Sorry some of us will not walk around like blind little sheep allowing the media to pick our candidates. This party will be purged of those responsible for nearly destroying it this year by the voters. Get over it.

[EGNAHC08]

The nomination was not won, but stolen.
We didn't lost but was cheated.

How can we get over it?

PUMA for McCain.

Country before Party.

[MCN]

The Dems have morphed into a different political party--. rather than being a neutral entity, they were fairly indifferent to Hillary, and influenced by the Obama camp. Plainly, the Dems have become a partisan, prejudiced group of obnoxious 'high-school' minded officer holders, pushing a slanted, skewed agenda to suit themselves, rather than the electorate. Yes, I view their antics and childish and phony, just like in high school. It's not the female gender per se that is the problem here. It's the testosterone.

[Melissa]

I was a Hillary supporter all the way and a registered Democrat......will be voting McCain although I'm not sold on Palin. McCain 2008 Clinton 2012!!!!!!!!