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Sen. Hillary Clinton celebrates her victory in Pennsylvania Tuesday with daughter Chelsea. Reactions to her win and its ramifications for her campaign and the Democratic Party were mixed among gays. (Photo by Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)
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HOME > NEWS > NATIONAL NEWS
By: JOSHUA LYNSEN COMMENTS
 
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little that we are still fighting back and forth,” Rae said. “All people are seeing is this constant bickering back and forth.”
Campaign exchanges became particularly heated in the days before Tuesday’s vote in Pennsylvania. Clinton and Obama each aired television ads that attacked the other. One ad from Obama accused Clinton of “11th-hour smears paid for by lobbyist money.”
Bernard said negative attacks aside, though, the continued contest between Clinton and Obama isn’t inherently bad.
trong>Chelsea Clinton speaks last week to fans at Woody's Bar, a gay nightspot in Philadelphia. (Photo courtesy of Hillary Clinton for President.) |
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“I’m not one of those that has fears this is doing the Democrats enormous harm,” he said. “I think it could be doing them a lot of good.”
Bernard noted the prolonged primary has spurred “a record number of people” to register as Democrats and vote, and would strengthen the party’s eventual nominee.
“I actually feel good about this process,” he said. “I think it’s great that it’s going on. I do believe this extended primary makes whoever the candidate is a much better candidate. It’s one of the things that did not happen four years ago. Our candidate was not as prepared because it was over fairly quickly.”
Ray Buckley, chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, also was disinclined to prematurely end the race between Clinton and Obama.
He said a deadline set before the Democratic National Convention in August could create more problems than it solves.
“You know what?” Buckley said. “We may not have a trailing candidate. What if they’re tied?”
Buckley, a gay superdelegate who remains uncommitted in keeping with a state party chair tradition, said he would not dispute Frank’s suggestion that it would be best for the trailing candidate to exit the race June 3.
“I don’t ever disagree with my leaders,” he said. “Obviously, Barney is a lot wiser than, well, anyone else. If that’s what he says, I’m assuming he’s probably correct. But until we get there, I’ll sort of reserve judgment.”
Buckley said at a m
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