For Arkansans, convention on bucket list

Two Fayetteville-area residents, Heather Jordan (left) and William Alexander (second from left), marched in downtown Philadelphia on Sunday.Thousands of protesters marched to a spot near Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Most of the signs focused on green energy, opposition to fracking and pipelines, and global warming.
Two Fayetteville-area residents, Heather Jordan (left) and William Alexander (second from left), marched in downtown Philadelphia on Sunday.Thousands of protesters marched to a spot near Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Most of the signs focused on green energy, opposition to fracking and pipelines, and global warming.

PHILADELPHIA -- For Arkansans supporting former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president, this week's Democratic National Convention is a chance to see barriers removed and a glass ceiling shattered.

But for those backing U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, it's a time to reassess. Many of them say they're not yet ready to embrace the party's presumptive nominee, although fear of Republican Donald Trump may compel them to vote Democratic in November.

There are 27 Clinton delegates and 10 Sanders delegates, two Clinton alternates and one Sanders alternate.

For many longtime Democratic activists, the national convention is an item on their bucket lists.

Former state Rep. Johnnie Roebuck of Arkadelphia, a Clinton delegate, said she is "so excited, pumped, I'm ready to go," adding, "It's going to be a wonderful week. I've dreamed about this all of my life."

The convention will give the Democratic Party four days to share its vision with the country.

Tippi McCullough, a Clinton delegate from Little Rock, said that this week's convention will sound a lot different than last week's Republican gathering in Cleveland.

"I just think there's going to be a different tone set. A tone of hope and a tone of progress that's just so different from the fear and the hate and the anti-everything that we saw last week," she said.

State Sen. Keith Ingram of West Memphis, a Clinton delegate, said he doesn't want this week's convention to mirror last week's GOP conclave, with arguments over convention rules and a speech drowned out by jeers.

"It's time for Democrats to unify," Ingram said.

"We've got a great nominee. We've got one that can win in November and it's time for everybody to come together and elect Hillary Clinton. We certainly don't want to see what went on last week at the Republican Convention," he said, referring to the rancor and division that was sometimes evident.

While Clinton backers are upbeat, Sanders supporters are less festive.

Amanda Kennedy, a Sanders supporter from Greenbrier and a member of the Democratic National Committee rules committee, is happy to be fighting for Sanders' stances, but sees little enthusiasm for Clinton among her colleagues.

"A lot of Berners are discouraged, I think, and sad and disappointed. I think we feel like the Democratic Party is not a party of the people," she said. "There are a lot of Bernie supporters who are OK with it. They think she's better than Donald Trump [but] nobody's ecstatic about it."

When it comes to Clinton, Kennedy categorizes herself as undecided.

"If she's elected, if she's the nominee, I just don't know what I will do. I don't know who I will vote for," she said.

Other Sanders supporters who have traveled to Philadelphia are also voicing reservations about Clinton.

"I don't feel like she's honest with the American people," said Heather Jordan, a protester from the Fayetteville area who carried an "Arkansas for Bernie sign" near Independence Hall on Sunday.

"I don't trust her," added William Alexander, a Fayetteville-area musician who marched beside Jordan.

Arkansans who favored Hillary Clinton in 2008 say they remember what it's like to fight and fall short, the sadness and frustration.

"I know what it's like to really invest a lot in a candidate who doesn't ultimately win and it's disappointing and it's exhausting. It takes a physical toll on you, so I completely appreciate and respect that it's taking a little time," said Democratic National Committeeman Dustin McDaniel. "I think after Sen. Sanders' speech, this story will be a dead-and-gone story of the past."

Kathy Webb, a former state representative and a Clinton whip from Little Rock, said she also remembers the sting of defeat. "I understand being passionate about a candidate and a message that a candidate has," she said.

In 2008, she said, it was hard to concede defeat and back Barack Obama, the victorious senator from Illinois, but she eventually did so.

"I rallied, like others, around Barack Obama and worked hard for him, and I hope that as we highlight the sharp differences between Hillary Clinton and [vice presidential nominee] Tim Kaine and Donald Trump and [vice presidential nominee Mike] Pence that the Sanders folks will rally behind the Democratic candidate, as well."

Clinton supporters hope the convention will help to heal any lingering divisions.

"I hope to see us coming out of here with a clear focus on what we need to do to win in November, a lot of unity around our message and around our candidates. ... That's what I hope to see. That's what I expect to see," Webb said.

A Section on 07/25/2016

photo

Arkansas Secretary of State

State Sen. Keith Ingram of West Memphis


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