PUMA Hillary Clinton Supporters Make Convention Push

By Kailani Koenig-Muenster

8/25/2008

Barack Obama is the star of the DNC. But Hillary Clinton's role is being constantly debated. The Democratic National Committee and most delegates have been rallying around Obama all week.   

However there is a group of Clinton supporters located right down the street, hoping to push their candidate back into focus.

These are the die-hards. PUMA is the PAC called "People United Mean Action." It is a group of Clinton enthusiasts who say they've been disenfranchised by the primary process.  They blame unfair media coverage and fraudulent caucuses for Clinton's primary losses. Many label themselves as lifelong Democrats, but have felt so isolated from the party that they intend to vote for John McCain in the fall.

"I'm angry at the Democratic National Committee for doing this and I want to teach them a lesson... and I think in many ways he was closer aligned to Hillary Clinton than Barack Obama was," said Laurey Long, who plans on voting for McCain.

"I will vote for John McCain and I will vote a straight Republican ticket for the first time in my life," said Connie Kafta of Wyoming. "I've been a democrat for 38 years, since I registered to vote, but the Democratic party now the party that I'm familiar with."

In Denver, the PUMAs have set up shop in a house downtown with offices, internet access, and treats spread about. Supporters have traveled from all around the county to be here from New York, to California, Kansas, and Texas.

"I couldn't stay home," said Long, who traveled from Los Angeles. "I wanted to show how unhappy I am as a voter and a citizen of this country about what's happening to the country and the election process."

Monday they held a protest in the afternoon and a candlelight vigil the evening. But while they all came for one reason - to suppport Hillary Clinton - their hopes and expectations for this convention vary greatly. Some have come just to mourn Clinton's candidacy, but others have higher expectations about what might unfold during the week.

"I would like to see an honest and meaningful role call vote of all the delegates and superdelegates at the convention, not a closed secret ballot," said Kafta.

"The number one thing we'd like to see happen is Hillary Clinton emerge as our nominee and become our next president in November," said Will Bower, co-founder of PUMA. "It's all up to the delegates at this point. Right now it's a zero-zero game, no delegate has cast a vote."

Bower recognizes that the chances of Clinton becoming the official nominee are almost nil, but hasn't given up hope just yet. "It's possible. And as long as it's possible, it's worth fighting for. And if it happens, it will be one of the greatest political stories in our nation's history."

The PUMAS have not been received with open arms, however, even from fellow Hillary supporters.

"Almost all of the delegates I personally know are already backing Obama. I've been campaigning for the Obama ever since Hillary dropped out," said Clinton delegate Don Kipson.

"It's a joke," said Obama delegate Ryan Loney. "They're a very small part of the party. Most people I've talked to want to get Barack Obama elected."

Even after Obama accepts the nomination, the PUMAs don't intend to stop fighting. They plan on investigating reports of fraud during the caucuses and want to protest the system.