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Local supporters sticking by Hillary

By David Freedlander, amNewYork Staff Writer
More stories | dfreedlander@am-ny.com

May 9, 2008

Despite a nominating process that's quickly drawing to a close and a near insurmountable deficit in the race for delegates, Hillary Clinton's most devoted local supporters say they are sticking by her.

"I am looking forward to West Virginia next week and Kentucky after that," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D- New York.) "I have all the confidence we will make history with Hillary. The pundit class has taken it upon themselves to say this race is over. They have been wrong many times before."

It wasn't that long ago that Empire State politicos were talking about what to wear for Clinton's inaugural ball. A mere six months ago, then Lt. Gov. David Paterson joked at an event for Clinton -- "Everybody's moving up," he said -- and speculation was rampant about whom Gov. Eliot Spitzer would pick to replace her in the Senate.

Since then Spitzer has resigned in disgrace, Paterson has ascended to the top job in the state, and most national observers expect Sen. Barack Obama to lock up the nomination in a matter of weeks, if not days.

But don't tell that to Maria Luna, a district leader and fervent Hillary-backer from Washington Heights.

"All of a sudden you see people jumping ship to Obama and going the safe way," she said. "I am committed to her. I know who she is and what type of president she can be and I am not going to abandon her for someone who is unqualified."

Despite the public posture, some activists say they have noticed a deflated feeling among their fellow Democrats about the sputtering out of one of their own.

"Let's face it, we are in New York, and I think there is really a hometown spirit behind her," said Elizabeth Caputo, president of DL21C, a grassroots political organization. "But I think people have accepted what the mathematical reality has become. Look, Democrats are known for stealing defeat from the jaws of victory, but I think people are aware that we can't let that happen again."

Across the country polls show that many Democratic voters are hardening in their preference for a candidate. Exit polls in Indiana revealed that nearly half of Democrats there said they would not support Obama if he became the nominee.

Local Democratic party bigwigs say they are committed to bringing the party together come November.

"It is incumbent on all of us to make sure that everyone feels included a part of the process," said Robert Zimmerman, one of Clinton's top fundraisers. "We are all Democrats. We are all on a mission much bigger than the Democratic party. We are trying to save our country."

Matthew Carlin, the president of the Stonewall Democratic Club's New York chapter, which worked for Hillary before the New York primary, said he sees the writing on the wall but that it is time to move on.

"I'm not waxing nostalgic about oh-what-if," he said. "My candidate isn't going to win the nomination, but I'm just kind of over it."