Plans for Clinton convention rallies intensify

By Bob Cusack
Posted: 08/10/08 11:37 PM [ET]
http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/plans-for-clinton-convention-rallies-intensify-2008-08-10.html

Frustrated supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) are planning multiple rallies at the Democratic convention in Denver, coupled with television and print advertisements.

The disenchanted Democrats want to express their disappointment with the party’s presidential primary process.

The Denver Group, formed a couple of months ago by two Clinton backers, says it has filmed a television commercial and is looking to air it soon. The fledgling group adds that it has received such a strong response to its scheduled Aug. 26 reception in Denver that it had to book an overflow room.

Meanwhile, another pro-Clinton group called “18 Million Voices” is organizing a march on Aug. 26 in Denver “and nationwide to support Sen. Clinton and advocate for women’s rights worldwide.” It will also be holding “a celebration in a beautiful Denver City park during the day, and throughout the evening on Aug. 26,” according to the 18 Million Voices website.

Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) campaign has been in contact with Clinton aides to come up with a plan that will unify the party as well as honor Clinton and the roughly 18 million people who voted for her during the presidential primary.

But any compromise is unlikely to satisfy Clinton’s most ardent backers.

For example, some of the Denver Group’s goals are contrary to the Democratic Party’s. Its goals include: an open convention; Clinton's name placed in nomination with no symbolic roll call vote; speeches allowed by supporters of Clinton on behalf of her candidacy; a genuine roll call vote with Clinton as a legitimate candidate; and “no coronation.”

Asked about Clinton last week, Obama said, “As is true in all conventions, we’re still working out the mechanics, the coordination.” When pressed if he would favor a roll call for Clinton, Obama responded, “I didn’t say that.”

Heidi Li Feldman, co-founder of the Denver Group, said, “There is going to be a steady stream of activities for the first three days of the convention” and predicted thousands of Clinton backers will appear at the events.

Feldman said her group has raised between $30,000 and $40,000, enabling it to buy six print ads and produce one television ad. The TV ad is scheduled to run on CNN and during a local news broadcast in Denver the week before the convention begins. The ad strategy for convention week has not been finalized.

[The Denver Group is planning on advertising in The Hill.]

One print ad that ran in Congressional Quarterly showed a picture of Franklin Roosevelt and asked, “Would Howard Dean and Nancy Pelosi have kept his name off the ballot?”

The ad noted that Roosevelt went into the 1932 Democratic convention short of the necessary delegates to clinch the nomination and subsequently won on the 4th ballot.

Regardless of any accord Clinton and Obama come to, the planned rallies could become a focus of the media’s attention instead of the heavily scripted themes of the convention.

The Denver Post recently reported that Clinton backers will hold signs that read, “Denounce Nobama's Coronation.”

Clinton and many of her backers believe that, if there is a strategy of recognizing the New York senators’ delegates at the convention, it would be a cathartic experience and lead to a more unified Democratic Party.

During a recent fundraiser in California, Clinton stressed that Democrats must unite behind Obama and said talks are ongoing with the Obama campaign and Democratic National Committee about her role and the role of her delegates.

Clinton, whose appearance at the fundraiser was posted on YouTube, did point out that putting her name in nomination and a roll call vote “are the usual kind of process that occurs at conventions.”

Feldman said many Clinton supporters “were reassured and relieved” by the former first lady’s remarks, especially after a media account reported that she had asked not to be nominated at the convention.

Clinton is expected to address the convention on Aug. 26 while her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will speak the next night.

Marc Rubin, the other co-founder of the Denver Group, said Clinton supporters will “absolutely not” be appeased by the speaking slots.

Rubin said there is “palpable anger” at the Democratic National Committee.

Jenny Backus, spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee Convention, said the party has become more unified and cited Clinton’s strong support of Obama as the strongest signal of that unity.

“Sen. Clinton is one of our biggest assets,” Backus said.

While Obama and Clinton have said their bitter primary battle is behind them, there is still animosity between the supporters of the two senators.

The person who posted the Clinton You Tube video indicated that he or she had disabled some viewer comments, stating on the site that “Obama trolls have started to post horrible negative comments regarding Hillary Clinton and her supporters.”

Meanwhile, Feldman said she has received nasty e-mails since launching the Denver Group. Feldman, who is a college professor, said one e-mail she received at work was reported to the FBI.

Feldman said she is not disgruntled or bitter, but she has an objection to the Democratic Party’s process. And she stressed that she will not be voting for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) this fall.
“It would be a tragedy for Democrats to lose this year,” Feldman said.