All Eyes on Clinton As Mccain Exploits Divisions With Obama

On the first day of what has been designed as a four-day celebration of Barack Obama's historic run for the White House, his compelling biography and achievements, one Democrat dominated. Her name was Hillary Clinton.

More than two months after ending her own run for the nomination, Clinton, it seems, is not entirely defeated. Or at least the idea of a Clinton presidency isn't.

The rancor and divisions between the Clinton and Obama camps were fully exposed yesterday, offering an opening to John McCain that could do serious damage to the Democrats' chances.

In Denver, a handful of Clinton supporters - including the brother of a Colorado senator who is to speak at the convention - announced they would support McCain. At least two pro-Clinton groups planned street protests yesterday and today.

The McCain campaign released its second advert in 24 hours meant to stoke a sense of grievance among Clinton's supporters at her loss to Obama.

All those signs of discontent guarantee that Democratic eyes will be fixed on Clinton when she delivers her prime-time address to the convention tonight.

Unifying force

It is the start of a two-day process that will honor Clinton's close race against Obama and demonstrate her power as the woman who can help unify Democrats around his candidacy. Tomorrow her name will be in the ballot when the convention holds its traditional roll call vote.

The double dose of respect for Clinton was carefully choreographed by the Obama camp as part of its unity effort.

A USA Today opinion poll yesterday indicated the challenge Obama and Clinton face in uniting the party. Fewer than half of Clinton's supporters - 47% - are fully behind Obama. Some 23% say they might change their minds before the election, and 30% say they will vote for McCain or stay home.

Established Democrats, elected officials and delegates who supported Clinton, expect tonight's speech to go some distance towards easing the hostilities.

"I think it will be a unifying moment," said Carolyn Maloney, a Democratic congresswoman from New York who campaigned for Clinton in New Hampshire. "I think it recognises the importance of her race, of 18 million people voting for her."

Others say the task of uniting the party goes beyond Clinton, and Obama has to do more. "He is going to have to reinforce his capacity for leadership," said Faye Wattleton, founder of the Center for the Advancement of Women.

Clinton's own constituency is also extremely divided. Her nearly 18 million primary voters range from Maloney, who is now firmly on side with Obama, to lukewarm party activists to the minority of die-hard militants who will fight on even after Clinton tells them to stop tonight.

"We will be looking for cues in what she says," said Darragh Murphy, founder of People United Means Action, one of the most militant Clinton groups. "The last few times she expressed support for Obama, people picked up that she still wants delegates to fight for her."

Those supporters among the delegates will get their chance to show their support to Clinton in tomorrow night's vote. Clinton has called the vote a "catharsis".

Daniel Kagan, a supporter and Colorado delegate who started a petition to force the roll call vote, saw it as a way of preserving Clinton's influence inside a party now dominated by Obama loyalists. "This is a damage limitation exercise," he said.

Reports said yesterday that Clinton had formally released her delegates, freeing them to vote for Obama. Obama was never in any real danger of losing, but Clinton's decision means that he will be spared the embarrassment of a close vote. "I'm disappointed," Kagan said. "My sense is that we will lose hundreds of delegates."

Even so, the prospect of the vote re-opened the scars of defeat for Clinton supporters. So did Obama's decision to choose Joe Biden as his running mate. Many Clinton supporters remain incensed that she was never even vetted for the role. Clinton did little to damp down that anger.

That double act - public expressions of unity beside more private expressions of still raw feelings - enrages the Obama camp. His faction sees the Clintons almost like old-style vaudeville performers, trying desperately to hang on to the spotlight before being pushed off the stage.

Reaching out

Clinton supporters, meanwhile, argue that the Obama camp has failed to reach out to them. "He hasn't done much to attract my vote," said Awilda Marquez, a Colorado delegate who served in Bill Clinton's administration. "He has consistently said he does not need me."

Other Clinton supporters describe active hostility: Obama campaign conference calls in which Clinton supporters are described as crazed kamikaze pilots.

In reality though, Obama has been winning over Clinton supporters, although it is a painfully slow process. And despite the expressions of false sympathy for Clinton, McCain lags behind Obama by 20 points in his support among women.

"I think after the election many of her supporters, female and male, were in mourning," Maloney said. She adds that the Obama camp has intensified its efforts to reach out to women. "You will see many women in the Barack administration. I know they are reaching out and compiling lists of competent women."

Clinton's former supporters, even those solidly behind Obama, want more. They remain angry at Obama and the male Democratic establishment for failing to speak out strongly against the sexist commentary from media pundits, or hecklers who asked Clinton to iron their shirts.

And it's not clear even then how strongly Clinton's 18 million will rally around. "I'm ready to vote for him," said Kagan. "I'm not very keen. I'm not going to raise funds, I'm not going to phone bank for him, but I will vote."