Mon, Jul 06, 2009

Nation

State Dem leaders: Clinton supporters a challenge for Obama

By Daniel Scarpinato
arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.26.2008
As Gov. Janet Napolitano prepared to deliver her speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver tonight, two of Arizona's top Democratic leaders said Monday that uniting supporters of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will present a real challenge this week — although not an impossible one.
The speech by Napolitano, who endorsed Obama over Clinton during the primary, is on the economy. But the schedule could also be symbolic as Obama looks to entice two vulnerable constituencies: female voters and Clinton supporters. Napolitano and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, also a female Obama supporter, will lead into Clinton's speech.
In Arizona, a historically Republican state that Napolitano and other Democrats suggest can be won by Obama, unifying the party could be critical given that Clinton won the primary solidly in February.
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, a superdelegate, said keeping rank-and-file Clinton supporters from jumping the Democratic ship is "a big challenge."
"There are folks that cared deeply about having a woman at the top of the ticket," Goddard said, calling it vital that Obama "capitalize on the historic nature of (Clinton's) campaign and move forward."
Polls Monday showed more than 25 percent of Clinton supporters are considering supporting Arizona Sen. John McCain. A CNN poll found that 66 percent of Clinton supporters are behind Obama, down from 75 percent in June.
McCain is looking to capitalize on those numbers, launching an ad that shows a Clinton supporter talking about why she's backing McCain.
In his home state, McCain is leading Obama — but by margins Democrats say are not as solid as one might expect. One poll last week had McCain up 10 points, with 28 percent of those polled in Arizona undecided.
While Republicans and most political pollsters and strategists say the odds of Obama winning Arizona are slim at best, those numbers have given Democrats — energized by gains in the state House and their number of congressional seats in 2006 — encouragement.
In a conversation by phone with Arizona reporters Monday morning, Goddard and Arizona Democratic Party Chairman Don Bivens said they will spend the week in Denver doing "truth-telling about John McCain" and called Arizona "up for grabs."
Kyle Dignoti, a 15-year-old Tucsonan and sophomore at Salpointe Catholic High School, is attending the convention through the Junior Statesmen Foundation. Dignoti attended Monday's Arizona delegation breakfast and said that in a speech there, the governor stressed her view that Obama, a first-term Illinois senator, can win the Grand Canyon State.
Dignoti, though, isn't convinced.
"I try to remain optimistic," he said, "but this is John McCain's state, and I think he's still going to win. It would be like asking if McCain was going to win Illinois."
Goddard, who did not endorse Obama until after he was the clear winner, speculated Clinton didn't get picked as Obama's running mate because there were "things said on the campaign trail that were hurtful." And, he said, former President Bill Clinton's potential involvement in the administration might present too much of an "unknown" to voters.
McCain, meanwhile, ended a respite at his home near Sedona by visiting Central High School in downtown Phoenix Monday to tout his endorsement from Daddy Yankee, a hip-hop star from Puerto Rico, who touted McCain's work on immigration.
Today, McCain will speak before the American Legion National Convention in Phoenix.
● Contact reporter Daniel Scarpinato at 307-4339 or dscarpinato@azstarnet.com.