Democrats Deeply Divided Over Candidates

Nomination Battle Has Party Worried It Won't Regain Losing Campaign’s Supporters By Nov.

(AP)  Loyal Democrat Richard Somer says if Hillary Rodham Clinton gets his party's presidential nomination he just may sit it out this Election Day.

A Barack Obama supporter, Somer says he has been repulsed by her use of “slimy insinuations” in the campaign. He especially disliked her attacking the Illinois senator for his relationship with William Ayers, a former Weather Underground radical with provocative views.

“She's better than that,” said Somer, 72, a retired professor from Clinton, N.Y. He said he expects the Democrats to carry New York anyway, so he might not vote “as a protest to Mrs. Clinton.”

Somer is not the only Democrat whose views of his party's rival candidate have soured.

Party members increasingly dislike the contender they are not supporting in the bruising nomination fight, an Associated Press-Yahoo News survey and exit polls of voters show. That is raising questions about how faithful some will be by the November general election.

In the AP-Yahoo poll - which has tracked the same 2,000 people since November - Obama supporters with negative views of the New York senator have grown from 35 percent in November to 44 percent this month, including one-quarter with very unfavorable feelings.

Those Obama backers who don't like Clinton say they would vote for Republican candidate John McCain over her by a two-to-one margin, with many undecided.

As for Clinton supporters, those with unfavorable views of Obama have grown from 26 percent to 42 percent during this same period - including a doubling to 20 percent of those with very negative opinions.

The Clinton backers with unfavorable views of Obama say they would vote for McCain over him by nearly three-to-one, though many haven't made up their minds.

“I'd be hard pressed” to vote for Obama, said April Glenn, 66, a Clinton supporter from Philadelphia, who said his handling of the controversy over the anti-American preachings of his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, made her doubt his leadership skills. “I don't think he's capable.”

Clinton backers who have taken a dislike to Obama have a sharply lower regard for his honesty and ethics than they did last fall, the poll shows. Obama supporters whose view of Clinton has dimmed see her as far less compassionate and refreshing than they did then.

[gdmoore2]

To all offended Democrats of either camp: Treat yourself to a single morning of Rush Limbaugh. I predict you will be voting Democratic, whether its Clinton or Obama, ... or both.

[spinster2]

Well Obama,,,,it looks like after twenty years you are able to figure out what it took uneducated americans twenty minutes to figure out.

You are now firmly in the uneducated white racist column who has taken all of reverand Wrights comments "out of context". LOL The next thing they will says is that you would have never voted for him anyway.

ROFL

[spinster2]

I''m deeply divided over voting for Obama. Heck, I don''t know which one to vote for.

[kansas1946]

Indiana voters.

Think about and Obama-Sharpton ticket. How about Jesse Jackson as his secretary of defense. How about Rev. J. Wright as his secretary of state. How about Louis Farrahkan? He already said that he wants to appoint supreme court justices who will rule based on social empathy. How appalling is that? Supreme court justices are supposed to rule on LAW. Obama is going to bring down our whole system of government so we''''ll have chaos. That was his plan all along. He said he wanted to be president now, because we need change now. Yea. He saw 3 positions open on the supreme court. An opportunity to put in people that will rule on social empathy and not on law so he can destroy our govt! Becareful!


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Posted by chemicalcata at 05:12 PM : Apr 30, 2008
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LOL. Amazing.

[kansas1946]

Hillary has proved herself to be no better that the slime-ball swift-boaters that attacked John Kerry. She has used the same tactics, only against a member of her own party, just like Republicans did in 2000 against John McCain. So I guess if the Democrats are happy with a slimy swift-boater as their candidate, then they should be happy with Hillary.

Up to this point, I probably would have voted for her had she gotten the nomination, although I am an Obama supporter, but now there is not a chance. If she is the nominee, I will vote for McCain. I think he is ten times more honorable than her, even though I disagree with him on many issues.

[chemicalcata]

Indiana voters.

Think about and Obama-Sharpton ticket. How about Jesse Jackson as his secretary of defense. How about Rev. J. Wright as his secretary of state. How about Louis Farrahkan? He already said that he wants to appoint supreme court justices who will rule based on social empathy. How appalling is that? Supreme court justices are supposed to rule on LAW. Obama is going to bring down our whole system of government so we''ll have chaos. That was his plan all along. He said he wanted to be president now, because we need change now. Yea. He saw 3 positions open on the supreme court. An opportunity to put in people that will rule on social empathy and not on law so he can destroy our govt! Becareful!

[blkpresident]

Jane Fonda, Hillary Clinton, Patty Hearst, Hillary Clinton...

[pepperwood2]

Just another day in court?? Say Hello to my good friend - Bill

In the landmark civil fraud case against Bill Clinton in Los Angeles, where the former President is charged with defrauding a Hollywood dot com millionaire to help Hillary Clinton obtain more than $1.2 million from him for her 2000 Senate campaign, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Aurelio Munoz ruled on Friday, April 25 that Hillary Clinton would not be required to testify in a sworn deposition as a material witness in the case until AFTER the November election!

While Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, Al Gore, Ed Rendell, Barbara Streisand, Cher, Stan Lee, Brad Pitt, Mike Wallace, Larry King et al may be called to testify and be deposed starting in May, Hillary alone has been protected from explaining her role in her husband%u2019s fraud charges.

In an astonishing ruling by the Judge, Hillary Clinton may NOT be deposed about her role in the illegal solicitation and cover up of the largest contribution made to her Senate campaign until after the presidential election.

This is the same contribution Hillary denied knowing about or receiving when Lloyd Grove of the Washington Post asked her specifically about it and her relationship with the donor, Peter Paul, in August 2000.

Equally surprising as the ruling was the judge%u2019s request to Hillary defense lawyer David Kendall to %u201Csay hello to his ( Judge Munoz%u201D) friend Bill, also a partner in Kendall%u2019s law firm%u201D

[questionnews]

Posted by Questionnews at 10:37 AM : Apr 30, 2008

WRONG. Democrats (& the rest of the world) "hate" Bush/Cheney and the Republicon corruption, they would vote for either Clinton or Obama!

Posted by zoe2006 at 11:23 AM : Apr 30, 2008

"Those Obama backers who don''''t like Clinton say they would vote for Republican candidate John McCain over her by a two-to-one margin, with many undecided."

How do you reconcile your statement with the attached statement from the article????? Should folks believe you or what is in the article??

[jack3213]

OBAMA IS NOT BEHIND IN SUPERDELAGATES NOR IN THE POPULAR VOTE- NUMBERS ARE MUCH CLOSER- BUT THAT WILL CHANGE AFTER A FEW MORE PRIMARIES- AND THE BOTTOM LINE IS- IF OBAMA DOES NOT TAKE IT AT THE CONVENTION HAVING HIGHER NUMBERS THERE WILL BE BATTLES TO ENSUING FROM THE BLACKS AND THIS IS NOT GOOD.

[pepperwood2]

Posted by SgtRDS at 12:15 AM : Apr 30, 2008 She completely agreed that the delegates and votes from both MI and FL would not count because back then she was certain she was on a coronation tour and not running in a political party primary. Now that Barack has taken the lead she''s suddenly concerned that....

Many of us, & I or one, just look at the math. Sure Obama has the edge but you wonder why it is that Hillary is always implying that his victories don''t hold a candle to hers.

It comes down to, what winning over the Superdelegates, as she has been scheming behind the scenes. Unfair as it is, Obama has always been behind in the Superdelegates. He still is!

She was livid When superdelegate Richardson endorsed Obama as he is also a minority Hispanic, so to speak. That could influence the other Superdelegates in going for Obama. Hillary has been counting on playing this card to trump OBAMA.

That is why it is very important for Obama to win the popular vote along with the State''s Delegates to EVEN the playing field. There''s no doubt that it had been planned for years that Hillary was going to be the presidential candidate. This year was her time, to go about the country on her coronation tour, to be showcased. While the real underdog has been mocked, ridiculed, and attacked by both Hillary & McCain for the simple reason that they & the superdelegates do not want to see Obama in the Whitehouse. That''s the Inconvenient Truth!

[jack3213]

WHEN IN DOUBT -IT MUST MEAN NEITHER IS WHAT YOU WANT.

[themagic07]

PLS WAKE UP FELLOW DEMOCRATS....OBAMA is the combination of Rev Wright and REZKO. Pls don''t be fooled by a salesman...If he is the nominee, the Republicans will eat him alive....

[hungry1968]

i don''''t vote based on race, i vote based on experience.

hence, obama WON''''T be the one when it comes to General Election.

Posted by metroduck75 at 09:16 AM : Apr 30, 2008





After the past 8 years of "experienced" politicians, I gladly look forward to Obama assuming the role of the new JFK.

"Experience" = disaster.

[questionnews]

"Those Obama backers who don''t like Clinton say they would vote for Republican candidate John McCain over her by a two-to-one margin, with many undecided."

These boards provide stellar examples of the visceral loathing that Dems express toward anyone that doesn''t agree with them and that just within thier own party members. Civilized disagreements are one thing but these Obama & Clinton supporters speak about each other with the same disgust as they do about Bush.
Bush is a dork no doubt, but I don''t want to have to choose between the winner of a loathing contest.

[hungry1968]

Doesn''''t matter. Hillary can''''t win the nomination and Wes Clark would jump at the chance to be the VP pick under Barack. He''''d be an excellent choice in spite of his one slip of falling for Hillary''''s BS. besides, unlike her, he''''s a true loyal Democrat and would be proud to serve the party.

Posted by SgtRDS at 09:59 PM : Apr 29, 2008




That''s the beautiful thing about the democrats this year - they have many great choices for VP''s.

Biden, Richardson, Webb, Clark - just to name a few.

[hungry1968]

Hillary is hated and despised by constituents of both parties, she wants to portray herself as a "uniter" while she''s completely divided the DEMOCRATIC party, (and we''re not even talking about the republicans yet!!), 63% of the PARTY doesn''t find her trustworthy.

And on top of all that she''s an elitist calling him an elitist, while using his race against him, stoking the fires of racial division, and pandering for votes while looking foolish - think "shot and a beer".

I would be ashamed to run a campaign like she''s running.

[bombadil4]

Basically the Democrats can simply blame themselves for letting their own nomination process turn into such a mess. Here''s what you do:

1. No more caucuses. They are exclusive and thus unfair and outright stupid. They mimic what you might expect in a 4th grade class election. Change them to regular primaries.

2. Winner of each states''s primary gets all or almost all the delegates. Maybe give the loser 10 or 15 percent of the delegates if they lose by less than 5 percent.

3. Schedule all the primaries within a reasonable amount of time in order to have the convention no later than mid-July.

This process more nearly mirrors what the game is like in the general election. And if it had been followed this year, we would have already been able to declare a winner---Clinton.

[craigh9]

We''ll see what happens soon, everyone here beats a drum based upon some certain issue, but everyone misses the real issue - MONEY

Obama has plenty and Hillary is broke
Obama leads in Pledged delegates and popular vote - and those will only increase on Tuesday.
While politicians (read superdelegates) have been known to go against the will of the people for personal or political gain - never has a politican been made that will turn his back on MONEY!
Ask yourself why you didn''t see the mass of superdelegate support Hillary expected after the Penn. Primary - the answer is simple, the superdelegates are just waiting for the right moment to align themselves with Obama to get access to his fundraising and the new constituency he has formed in the party. That right time will be after the NC and Indy Primaries.
Hillary is whipping a dead horse! NO WAY will the party go against the popular vote, pledged delegate vote, money, and in the process alienate all the new democrats that are now engaged because of Obama.

[metroduck75]

i don''t vote based on race, i vote based on experience.

hence, obama WON''T be the one when it comes to General Election.

I love my country to vote for someone radical pretending to be rational.

"Disowning" his Pastor???? Yea, BUT why wait for 20 years to do so in the Primaries????

I don''t trust this guy at all. I urge ALL the Raegan Democrats and hardworking Middle Class and Latinos to VOTE for McCain if Osama is the nominee.