The Texas Observer

Former Texas Democratic Party chairman Bob Slagle, a super delegate pledged to Hillary Clinton, has emailed 40,000 Clinton supporters with a little history lesson on the perilous consequences of party disunity.

“It would be a good idea to review what is at stake this year and the disastrous impact of Democratic defections in prior presidential elections,” Slagle wrote. “In 1968 we narrowly lost to Nixon because disgruntled liberals refused to back Humphrey. In 1980, we lost because many disaffected Kennedy supporters refused to help Carter and we got Reagan. In 2000, we lost Al Gore and got Bush because disaffected liberals sat it out or voted for Nader.”

If Obama fails to receive their support, Slagle said, Hillary supporters will unwittingly bring about a McCain administration –- with continued Bush tax cuts, a longer Iraq war, and a U.S. Supreme Court that might reverse Roe v. Wade and declare the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional.

“Given the tragic consequences of those elections, shooting ourselves in the foot again seems an affront to common sense,” Slagle wrote.

Not all were receptive to his arguments. Slagle says he’s received a lot of negative responses. But he predicted most Hillary supporters will come around. “It just takes a while for that lemon drop under their lower lip to melt away and then they’ll quit pouting.”

Longtime Clinton friend Garry Mauro predicted that Hillary will surprise the media in her speech tonight with genuine warmth toward Obama.

Anything less might lead Democrats to allow divisiveness to cripple their presidential candidate. Hillary needs to literally embrace Obama. As Slagle recalled: At the 1980 convention, “Ted Kennedy was standing so far away from Carter that he nearly fell off the stage. It made for damn poor pictures and videos.”

– Patricia Kilday Hart

The theme of the two-day Democratic state convention — which wrapped late this afternoon in Austin — was supposed to be unity. Nearly all the elected officials and party leaders who addressed delegates in the main convention hall and in the many smaller caucus gatherings offered messages of togetherness.

And while there were hints of genuine unity, many delegates made clear that the divisions from such a passionate primary campaign won’t dissipate quickly.

Chelsea Clinton was one of many who urged delegates to coalesce around Barack Obama. She told the convention Friday night that her mother would “re-affirm her life-long commitment to electing Democrats.”

Later on Friday, state Reps. Rene Oliveira (a Clinton supporter) and Yvonne Davis (who backed Obama) took the stage together and clasped hands in a show of unity. The huge crowd — the largest at a Democratic state convention in years — rose and chanted “Yes, we can” in unison.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, the first governor to endorse Obama for president, told delegates they had to work together because “there’s never been an election with more at stake in my lifetime.”

Saturday’s program was interrupted so delegates could watch Clinton’s concession speech from Washington, broadcast on the convention hall’s giant screens. The delegates gave Clinton a long-distance standing ovation as she formally endorsed Obama. But the broadcast feed was lost after a few minutes — it just wouldn’t be a Democratic convention without some technological snafu.

A little while later, state Sen. Royce West of Dallas commanded Obama and Clinton delegates to rise and take each other’s hands in a “We Are the World” moment. (West’s appeal for unity was far more appetizing than state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, who went the too-much-information route: “Anyone who’s been in a relationship knows that eventually you stop fighting, and you get back together….As my husband, Pete, says, the makeup sex is really good.”)

Despite the many calls for unity — in interviews with delegates a different story emerged — animosity between the two sides lingers, and may remain for a while.

Some Obama supporters were still muttering about Clinton remaining in the race so long after her chances for victory had dwindled.

Meanwhile, many Clinton die-hards weren’t quite ready to embrace Obama — though most said they eventually would. One Clinton supporter was seen toting a sign that read, “Small-town, gun-owning religious Democrat bitter about Obama.”

Nearly every Clinton delegate we talked to said they wanted Hillary to be the vice presidential nominee — and that Obama can’t win without her. That sentiment could prolong the discord if Obama chooses someone else. We heard that at least one Clinton delegate who announced that she was switching to Obama was denounced as a “rogue” delegate.

“I’m disappointed. I don’t like [that Obama’s the nominee].” said Kevin Rice, a Clinton delegate from San Antonio. “I guess I have to vote for him because I’m a Democrat. I will politic for him. But it’s going to take some time. It’s almost like a mourning period. Our campaign died, and we’re in mourning. Once that mourning is over, then it’s back to work.”

The Hillary Clinton presidential campaign may be coming to an end, but some of her most loyal Texas supporters must not have gotten the memo.

The scene tonight at Clinton’s Austin headquarters — just a block from the convention center, where the Texas Democratic Party State Convention will kick off tomorrow — was anything but morose. It was packed with excited, jovial, and sleep-deprived volunteers from across the nation. Hillary supporters had gathered to train delegates and volunteers for the state convention.

Clinton is expected to suspend her campaign Saturday, so just what is the motivation for the Clinton die-hards?

For many, the aim has shifted to securing the vice presidential nomination. To that end, they want to ensure Clinton receives as many delegates as possible from Texas. “We want a strong presence in the party, and there are going to be lots of angry people if Hillary doesn’t get the VP spot,” said Jim Morrison, a Clinton precinct captain from Frisco.

“There’s only one way for Obama to become president in my eyes, and that’s to make Hillary his running mate,” said Joyce King, Clinton delegate from Houston.

The Clintonites who could accept the race was over were not wallowing in disappointment, but instead looking ahead to a greater goal of Democratic victory this fall. “I’ve already gone though the tears in my beers. That’s done,” said Sue Mottinger, a Clinton volunteer from Dallas. She said it’s time for both sides to talk to one another about what is good for the whole.

If the Clinton campaign is dead, then many Hillary supporters clearly want the Texas Democratic Convention to be a celebration rather than a funeral. And celebrate they will, beginning at 7 a.m. tomorrow, Clinton supporters plan to rally with live music and festivities in Brush park, across from the convention center. It’s even rumored Chelsea could be among the convention speakers tomorrow night.

“It’s sad seeing all this come to an end, but it is energizing too, ” Morrison said. “We’ve been part of something exceptional.”

The speculation is rampant that Hillary Clinton will end her presidential run tonight or tomorrow — the Associated Press even reported as much earlier today. The campaign officially denied it, but conflicting messages are emerging from Clinton’s camp about what she will do tonight.

Clinton’s Texas supporters haven’t lost faith, though. We received an email this morning from some of Hillary’s Texas organizers that reads:

“PLEASE do NOT believe the rumors that Hillary is quitting the race! I mean, why would she have gone all this way only to quit on the night of the last election? Why would she quit when she is poised to be on the general election ticket in some form or fashion? Hillary will NOT quit, and neither will we”

Meanwhile, the Texas Democratic Party still hasn’t released a speaker’s list for this weekend’s state convention. Might Hillary make an appearance at the Austin Convention Center? A party spokesman told us yesterday they’re waiting to hear back from presidential candidates and won’t have an announcement about speaking schedules until Wednesday. If Hillary drops out in the next few days, her Texas supporters would no doubt be disappointed. But at least they might get to see her or former President Clinton speak at the convention.

The Obama campaign held a conference call this morning to echo what even most pundits said last night — that their candidate has all but sealed up the nomination.

Obama Strategist David Plouffe said Obama netted 13 delegates last night. He gained 17 in his sweep of North Carolina and limited Hillary Clinton to a win of four delegates in Indiana. That more than erases Clinton’s haul from Pennsylvania. Plouffe said Obama now leads Clinton by 172 pledged delegates (that’s the non-superdelegate kind) — the biggest advantage of the campaign. “A high water mark,” he termed it. Obama is within 172 delegates of clinching the nomination (ahem, superdelegates, please pick up the white courtesy phone).

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, one of five prominent elected Democrats who joined Plouffe on the call, described Obama’s performance last night a “giant and decisive step” toward the nomination.

One reporter asked if the campaign expected Obama to be “Swift Boated” in the fall. This seems to be a recurring fear among Democrats — that Obama will wilt under GOP attacks. Plouffe responded that Obama’s better-than-expected performance last night following a month of controversy shows that “Sen. Obama has a toughness and an ability to deal with adversity that will serve him well in the general election.”

Kerry, Mr. Swift Boat himself, chimed in with an important and oft-forgotten fact of 2004: that the Kerry campaign didn’t have the resources in August of 2004 to respond to the Swift Boat attacks. Because the Democratic National Convention was so early and the GOP’s so late, the Kerry campaign faced five weeks in which it had to conserve general election funds for October. This time, not only will Obama — like “all Democrats everywhere” — learn from Kerry’s mistakes and respond quickly, but Obama also won’t have the financial constraints of his predecessor.

Earlier this morning, the Clinton campaign held its own conference call in which they disclosed that Clinton had lent her campaign $6.4 million. Nonetheless, Howard Wolfson, her campaign spokesman said there had been zero discussion about whether to drop out. Asked if Clinton should end her campaign, the elected officials on the Obama call demurred. Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri said, “There is a sincere respect for Hillary Clinton in this campaign… This is her decision.”

McCaskill then added, “We’re confident that she is going to do the right thing for the Democratic Party.”

The Obama campaign declared victory in the senatorial conventions held yesterday. This just in, the Clinton campaign has declared… something else. See below.

And of course, the counties are still counting.

Statement by Texas Campaign Chairman Garry Mauro

Austin, TX – Following the Democratic Party’s county conventions in Texas this weekend, Clinton Campaign Texas Chairman Garry Mauro issued the following statement.

“Our delegates came out to their county conventions in full force over the weekend, and as a result, we gained at least two delegates to the national convention, with the possibility of picking up two more. Barack Obama did not make threshold in at least 20 counties, and we out-performed in many areas throughout rural Texas, where Hillary Clinton’s support is strong.

“We continue to be grateful to the enthusiastic support Hillary continues to receive throughout the Lone Star state, and look forward to a strong showing at the Texas State Convention in June.”

This in from the Obama Campaign. It might be a bit premature. When we get something from the Clinton Campaign, we’ll post that as well.

Meanwhile, once again the national media is shaking its head at the bedlam produced by Texas Democrats…

Caucuses Guarantee Obama Win In Texas

AUSTIN - With more than 56% of the results tallied from today’s 284 Democratic district conventions across Texas, Senator Barack Obama currently is projected to earn a 38-29 pledged delegate win in the Texas caucuses, exactly as projected on the day after the March 4th precinct caucuses. The nine delegate margin in the caucuses means Obama will gain a net margin of five pledged delegates from Texas because Senator Clinton narrowly won the Texas primary by only four delegates, 65-61.

“Despite the Clinton campaign’s widespread attempts to prevent many Texans from participating in their district convention, the voters of Texas confirmed Senator Obama’s important delegate win in the Lone Star State,” said Obama spokesman Josh Earnest. “Today’s record-shattering turnout sends a clear message that the American people are ready for change in Washington and new leadership in the White House that will stand up for working families.”

The Obama campaign will release a more detailed tally of the results tomorrow.