“The whole event was about Obama,” he said.
“There are a few people whose frustration remains, but I don’t think it’s a major problem. There are always people whose candidates don’t get the nomination and are often frustrated by it. In 2004, we had many people who had been Howard Dean supporters who were not crazy about it being John Kerry.”
But Dean did not enter his name into the official roll call, and Kerry received the nomination en route to his eventual loss to President Bush.
Despite Clinton’s move to enter her name into the official record, Bauman insists the party will be unified this year.
“There is going to be an attempt by Sen. Clinton to get her supporters to have a big-picture view that nothing is more important than everyone assuring that we don’t allow John McCain to win the White House, that we don’t have a third Bush term, and, oh by the way, not electing Hillary Clinton as president doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a political future,” Bauman said.
But that harmony may depend on whom Obama picks as his running mate, Ferguson said.
Obama is expected to announce his pick this week.
“By no means would I support John McCain, but it matters to me who he picks,” Ferguson said, adding that he hopes either Sens. Claire McCaskill of Mississippi or Evan Bayh of Indiana is chosen.
“At the end of the day, if the ticket is not strong enough, I could stick with Hillary.”
JEREMY OBERSTEIN covers business, politics and the foothills. He may be reached at (818) 637-3215 or by e-mail at jeremy.oberstein@latimes.com.
