There has been constant coverage of a few Clinton supporters who are upset that she lost – thats understandable – but if you listen to the news you get the impression that these people are eager to go out and support John McCain. McCain’s platform is so far from what Clinton stood for in the primary season that you have to question what these few, but vocal, Clinton supporters wanted out of this election.

Were they voting for an X chromosome instead of the political positions held by Clinton? I really don’t want to think that is the case, but it may well be true for a small group of people. I was keeping count on the NPR coverage that I was able to listen to during my commute and the number of women that were interviewed on this issue outnumbered the men by at least ten to one. And even then, the overwhelming of these Hillary button wearign delegates said that when push comes to shove in November, they will be supporting Obama over McCain.

Eric Alterman wrote a nice column in The Nation that really sums up the problems with the media coverage of this overblown idea of a split within the Democratic Party. He exposes the echo-chamber effect driving this phenomenon as journalists use each other as ‘sources’.

The following is a small except of Media Gone Mad. It’s worth reading the entire article if you have time.

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The dead horse of supposed dead-end Hillary supporters is flogged into a pulp by the authors. They begin on a note that had me hopeful: “Neither Sen. Barack Obama nor Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has any possible sane, rational reason for wanting tensions to continue.”

How true–but then the authors take a 180-degree turn toward insanity. Take a look at whom they cite when it comes to evidence of this supposed disunity: other journalists. There’s John F. Harris of The Politico, the AP’s Scott Lindlaw, Susan Page of USA Today, Patrick Healy of the New York Times, Anne Kornblut of the Washington Post, Geoff Earle and Maggie Haberman of the New York Post. Each offers evidence that is either purely editorial and unsourced, or sourced anonymously. For example, Harris: “For the next two days, a convention that belongs to Obama will be dominated by the same two people who dominated the Democratic Party for the last generation and who have come to Denver in much different roles than they wanted”; Page: “Clinton-watching has become the mesmerizing sideshow of the Democratic National Convention that will nominate Barack Obama”; Kornblut: “Obama’s decision to pass her over [for Vice President] remains central to the ongoing story of their strained relationship. It has also contributed to what associates say has been a difficult emotional period for the former first lady in the two months since ending her bid.”

It’s all “associates say,” or “some Clinton delegates,” or “an official familiar with conversations,” or “one adviser.” Can we actually get some names and positions, so that we can judge the (dubious) veracity of a Clinton-Obama war? Mostly, all we have are the mealy-mouthed assertions from other journalists–”Clinton, if sour, is pouting passively,” write Earle and Haberman. That means, Hillary is acting normal, but we’re pretending that maybe she’s mad on the inside.

The only non-journalist voices expressing anything close to a sense of disunity belong to Mary Boergers, a Maryland delegate who wants to cast a vote for Clinton; L. Douglas Wilder, the mayor of Richmond, Virginia (“The question is, are the Clintons ready?”), and Leon Panetta (“Sometimes dealing with the Clintons is like dealing with Brett Favre”). Wilder and Panetta’s comments are somewhat obtuse, and then there’s one delegate. This is what The Note describes as “the rivalry for the ages”?

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Read the rest at Media Gone Mad

DENVER, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — With certification of all delegates for the 2008 Democratic National Convention now complete, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) announced today that 44.3 percent of the delegates elected to attend the Convention in Denver represent minority communities, 50.1 percent are women and 31.4 percent are either seniors or youth, making this the most diverse Convention in Party history.

“Opening the door of the political process to people who have never taken part in the past has been the bedrock of our planning for this Convention since we arrived in Denver one year ago,” said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. “Twelve months and 56 primaries and caucuses later, it’s only fitting that our delegates represent that same core value and Barack Obama’s unparalleled ability to bring more new people in to the electoral process than ever before. Young and old, first-timers and Convention veterans, all representing a broad spectrum of backgrounds and communities, this is a delegation that will bring America’s voices to Denver.”

According to statistics compiled by the Democratic National Committee (DNC), more women, African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, GLBT delegates and delegates with disabilities will attend the Convention than ever before.

“In just days, delegates will come together in Denver to conduct the most important business of the Convention – nominating Barack Obama as our Party’s nominee for the next President of the United States,” said Alice Germond, Secretary of the DNC. “As we gather in Denver to change the course of our nation, we will truly represent the strength and diversity of our Party and our country.”

The DNCC also announced the oldest delegate to the Convention is Sophie Masloff, 91, from Pennsylvania. Ms. Masloff is an unpledged delegate. The youngest is David Gilbert Pederson, a 17-year-old at-large delegate from Minnesota — one of two delegates under the age of 18.

Seniors, age 65 or older, make up 16.9 percent of the total delegation and delegates age 36 or younger comprise 14.5 percent.

Delegates and alternates to the Democratic National Convention are selected over several months by various methods outlined in each state’s delegate selection plan. In most states, the selection process begins with the state’s presidential primary or caucus and concludes in late spring at state party meetings and conventions. The certification of all delegates, alternates, standing committee members and pages is managed by the Secretary of the DNC.

Each state has several types of delegates based on both how the delegate is selected and whether that delegate is pledged or unpledged. The number of delegates allocated to each state, the District of Columbia, Democrats Abroad and the territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam) is based on a formula that incorporates the state’s population and Democratic voting strength.

For more information on the makeup of the delegation to the 2008 Democratic National Convention, visit http://www.demconvention.com/diversity.