Democrats Express Mixed Feelings About Clinton at This Year's DNC DENVER, CO (wypr) - Maryland's Democratic Convention delegation might be a model of unanimity as the national party tries to fend off damage inflicted by a small but troubling group of Hillary Clinton diehards. Even so, the Free State's party includes a handful of Clinton sympathizers determined to support their candidate until she gets the respect they feel she's being denied. WYPR's senior News Analyst, Fraser Smith, who's in Denver covering the convention, reports:

The first official duty of Maryland's democratic Convention delegates was breakfast. This group - 99 official delegates and more than 500 guests - convened in their Renaissance hotel banquet room far from the convention in downtown Denver for bacon and eggs - and a sometimes emotional appeal for a big effort this fall against Republican John McCain.
Only a few Marylanders are part of a push gain what they calledm"respect" for SenatorHillary Rodham Clinton and her campaign.
Eventually, said Attorney General Doug Gansler, and early Obama man, the feuding parties will reconcile.

"The bigger enemy will loom larger when we get McCain versus Barack."

Eventually would be the keyword. Although the Clinton forces have been assured her name will be placed nomination, one of Maryland's most ardent and high profile Clinton backers isn't placated. Former state legislator Mary Boergers of Montgomery County says the gesture is insincere - and won't really solve the problem. Mrs. Clinton's candidacy, she says, was plagued with media bias and sexism. She says party leaders remained silent.

"If racist attacks like that were made against Obama they would not have been stood for it"

Mrs. Boergers was right about one thing. There is opposition to the idea of putting Senator Clinton's name in nomination. There is no doubt who the nominee will be says. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Baltimore, so the gesture will simply provoke an emotional outpouring.
She's right about one thing. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Baltimore takes a dim view of the nomination idea.

"I do not think it's a good idea. It causes people's feelings to rise up. .. This needs to be an Obama-Biden moment."

The Clintons, he said, will get sufficient recognition when both speak at the convention. He said he believes both will offer energetic support. But he worries about those who says they won't vote for Mr. Obama.

"As we say in my community, we need Lottie, Dottie and Everybody."

Mrs. Boergers says Senator Obama must solve the problem. Mrs. Clinton, she says, has been supremely magnanimous.

"But she can't close the deal with everybody. He's got to do that but so far that' s not been happening."

The party needs to honor its rules and traditions, she said. There's an important point to make, she said.

"That the Democratic Party is not Putin's Kremlin."

Rhetoric aside, there was sympathy for the candidate and her loyal workers, but no sign of defections. Mr. Obama. Dan Clements, a party activist from Columbia and an early Obama supporter, said he under stands the feeling.

"It's very hard to get over it. You love that person. Yo u care abuot them. They're the person you want to see her there."

In the end, he said, threats by the Hillary holdouts won't stand, he said. Too much is at stake. Democrats are convinced this is their year. The Marylanders think too many things are working in their candidate favor: an unpopular war, a Republican president widely repudiated and a unpopular war.
Could campaign wounds that won't heal spoil their year? Marylanders are certain the answer is no.

I'm Fraser Smith reporting from Denver for 88.1 your NPR news station. © Copyright 2009, wypr