WP, pg1: Party Fears Racial Divide; Attacks Could Do Lasting Harm, Democrats Say

[DeepModem Mom]

Party Fears Racial Divide
Attacks Could Do Lasting Harm, Democrats Say
By Jonathan Weisman and Matthew Mosk
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, April 26, 2008; Page A01

The protracted and increasingly acrimonious fight for the Democratic presidential nomination is unnerving core constituencies -- African Americans and wealthy liberals -- who are becoming convinced that the party could suffer irreversible harm if Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton maintains her sharp line of attack against Sen. Barack Obama.

Clinton's solid win in the Pennsylvania primary exposed a quandary for the party. Her backers may be convinced that only she can win the white, working-class voters that the Democratic nominee will need in the general election, but many African American leaders say a Clinton nomination -- handed to her by superdelegates -- would result in a disastrous breach with black voters.

"If this party is perceived by people as having gone into a back room somewhere and brokered a nominee, that would not be good for our party," House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (S.C.), the highest ranking African American in Congress, warned yesterday. "I'm telling you, if this continues on its current course, (the damage) is going to be irreparable." That fear, plus a more general sense that Clinton's only route to victory would be through tearing down her opponent, has led even some black Democrats who are officially neutral in the race, such as Clyburn, to speak out.

Clinton's camp has a vastly different interpretation, arguing that the most recent primary demonstrated that Democrats remain very interested in seeing the contest continue. "Pennsylvania did the job of calming any nerves that existed," said Clinton campaign spokesman Jay Carson. "It showed that the big states around the country think she's the best person to be president."

But that opinion is far from unanimous. More than 70 top Clinton donors wrote their first checks to Obama in March, campaign records show. Clinton's lead among superdelegates, a collection of almost 800 party leaders and elected officials, has slipped from 106 in December to 23 now, according to an Associated Press tally....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042503707.html?nav%3Dmost_emailed&sub=AR

[Dogmudgeon]

1. IAHF

It's All Hillary's Fault.

Even the rich Democrats say so.

And in preparation for the possibility that Mr. Obama will win the nomination but lose to Mr. McCain, the pundits are already rolling out their arguments about how THAT is Hillary's fault, too.

There's only one little problem. A lot of people are still unconvinced that Hillary is the she-Devil incarnate. But I guess that's what the mass media are for.

--p!

[asjr]

2. The WashPost is not known for

its authenticity.