The biggest problem with the convention is that the rift between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
As the Democratic National Convention began Monday, some black delegates who are pledged to Obama are unhappy -- even seething -- at what they say is weak support from the former president and first lady in the wake of a bitter primary campaign.
Their anger is the latest turn in the ongoing rivalry between the Clinton and Obama camps, a breach Democrats must repair if they are to win over lagging Clinton supporters. It is boiling over at an inopportune time -- with the race against Republican John McCain tightening to a dead heat and the Obama campaign hoping that this week's Democratic gathering will convey a sense of unity and momentum.
Instead, in interviews with delegates and aides to the rival camps, it was clear Monday that tensions have only swelled since the heat of a primary competition fraught with racial, gender and generational differences. Obama backers are frustrated that the Clintons do not seem willing to let go of their 16-year dominance of the Democratic Party, while Clinton aides complained privately that the young presumed nominee is not paying them proper respect -- a tension heightened by the revelation that Obama never seriously considered his rival as a running mate.
Conventions, by nature, are terribly scripted. Thus, the only drama, real drama, is that of the tension between the Clinton and Obama camp. As such, most of the stories coming out of this convention are about this riff. Now, I might be slanted because my coverage is coming from Fox News, however they have just paraded supporter after supporter of Clinton who refuse to vote for Obama.
From this larger narrative, several sub plots have developed. First, the two camps can't seem to agree on exactly how the delegates will be counted on the floor and when, or if, Hillary will give up her delegates. This is one of several stories that has been hyper analyzed by the media so far.
Then, this morning Bill Clinton said this.
Suppose you’re a voter, and you’ve got candidate X and candidate Y. Candidate X agrees with you on everything, but you don’t think that candidate can deliver on anything at all. Candidate Y you agree with on about half the issues, but he can deliver. Which candidate are you going to vote for?
Talk about a backhanded stab at Obama's inexperience. This was just plain harsh.
Then, Hillary supporter Ed Rendell said this.
With people who have a lot of gifts, it's hard for people to identify with them," the governor said. "Barack Obama is handsome. He's incredibly bright. He's incredibly well spoken, and he's incredibly successful -- not exactly the easiest guy in the world to identify with."
He is a little like Adlai Stevenson," Rendell mused. "You ask him a question, and he gives you a six-minute answer. And the six-minute answer is smart as all get out. It's intellectual. It's well framed. It takes care of all the contingencies. But it's a lousy soundbite."
"We've got to start smacking back in short understandable bites," he said, noting "Everybody is nervous as all get out. Everybody says we ought to be ahead by 10, 15 points. What the heck is going on?"
All of this drama makes for a great newsstory and the media can't get enough of it. In fact, I didn't see Michelle Obama's speech but I heard it was good. That said, no one can really remember one line from it. The same can't be said of the Clinton comments and Rendell's comments to a lesser extent.
The problem for the Obama campaign is that it is an unmitigated electoral disaster if the entire convention's narrative is all about the riff between his camp and Hillary's. So far, that is the only interesting story line coming out of the convention. If that continues, Obama will be the first candidate to lose votes after the convention.
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