Over the weekend I had the opportunity to talk briefly to a friend of mine that WAS a Hillary supporter. "Ann" voted for Hillary in the Maryland primary. Interestingly, she strongly supported her b/c she felt Hillary had more savvy than Obama. That all changed, when Hillary offered Obama the Veep position recently.
There are several reasons I found Anne's switch in support to Obama interesting.
First, she specifically identified Hillary's offer of the VP position as the reason for switching her allegiance. Broadly, she said she didn't like the way that Hillary had been campaigning recently, but the VP offer appeared to be the last straw. "I wanted someone to hit her upside the head," she said. I pressed her on why, and she admitted that she thought a Clinton/Obama ticket would be unstoppable, but she just felt that the way Hillary offered it to Obama was insulting.
Second, she did not appear to be as polarized in her support as I have found some people offering comments and diaries here at the DailyKos or at MyDD. I found it refreshing to talk to a supporter outside of the DailyKos who would be happy with either choice. I know most here would support either candidate but I've read too many angry anti-Obama comments and other comments that point out the exit polls that show Hillary supporters abandoning the Democratic party in favor of McCain or sitting out the election. That many of these alleged democrats are women seems odd. Why would they so ardently insist they will vote for McCain, a man who is clearly opposed to their economic and social interests?
So what you ask. This gets me to interesting fact three. Based on analysis of Clinton supporters, she represents Clinton's primary demographic and, according to Buchanan, would be most likely to sit out the election in November if Obama were the nominee. You see, Ann is an older (60+) Jewish female. She also lived in Florida during the 60s and 70s, has family and friends there still and was in positions of authority in the Florida NOW during the 70s.
Maybe she is the exception that proves the rule. Maybe the exit polls are misleading when they ask ones willingness to support other candidates in a heated primary election. Maybe she recognizes the importance of a Democratic President regardless of the nominee. I say this somewhat abashed b/c I have, at times, been one of those angry supporters who felt he just couldn't support Hillary if she were the nominee.
I hope she represents the main of current Hillary supporters, b/c I would rather they participate in this historic election, rather than sit it out and allow another conservative Republican Bush clone take the White House.
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