Bay State Clinton supporters react to Biden VP pick

With the news early Saturday morning that presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama has selected U.S. Sen. Joe Biden as his running mate, several prominent Massachusetts supporters of U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton told PolitickerMA.com that they are disappointed she wasn't selected to be the vice presidential candidate and said Obama needs to continue to court their support.

U.S. Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Joe Biden (Del.): Getty Image

 "I'm disappointed that Sen. Clinton won't be the vice presidential nominee," said Jesse Mermell, a Brookline selectman who worked on behalf of Clinton during the primary this year. "Obviously this was a personal choice for Sen. Obama (Ill.) -- it was his and his alone -- but I would have loved to have had the opportunity to vote for her this fall. Hillary Clinton would have brought a lot to the table: a wealth of knowledge and experience about both campaigning and governing, 18 million enthusiastic supporters, and a ready-and-willing volunteer base."

Sheila Capone-Wulsin, the executive director of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, said Obama should have tapped Clinton not just to satisfy her supporters but because recent polling shows Clinton backers may not vote for him in the fall. Capone-Wulsin pointed to a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll released earlier this week that showed that 21 percent of Clinton supporters are now supporting presumptive Republican nominee John McCain (Ariz.) over Obama.

"Can Obama afford to give up 21 percent of the vote?" Capone-Wulsin asked.

Despite their disappointment, most Clinton supporters interviewed for this article respected Obama decision but said he must continue to reach out to Clinton backers. "What the Clinton supporters are looking for," said Beth Boland, co-chair of the New England Lawyers for Hillary group, "is they want to make sure he is doing everything in his power to show his respect for her as a candidate and for the issues and the policies that she stands for."

"One of the ways he could have done that is as his vice president, but it's not the only way," Boland added. Giving Clinton and former President Bill Clinton (D) speaking slots at the convention, was a good start, Boland said, but he has keep making those efforts. Another gesture would be to help Clinton reduce her remaining campaign debt, Boland said.

"He has to be able to convey in a very convincing way to the public that he understands what drew people to her candidacy, whether it was the historical nature of it or her grit and determination or her standing up for working people," Boland said. "If he conveys that than people will come over."

While she would have liked to have seen Clinton join Obama at the top of the ticket, Shanti Fry, a prominent Clinton fundraiser, said she is looking forward to seeing what the New York senator does next. "Hillary's status has been incredibly enhanced by her campaign," she said. "Running for president will enable her to do the things she has always wanted to do, perhaps with more freedom that if she was in the White House."

"Her supporters are sticking with her and will be a big part of her effectiveness," Fry added.

Fry also said Clinton said has the potential to influence the Senate like another prominent Bay State pol. "I see her roaring back to the Senate, taking theses supporters and taking these issues with her," Fry said. "She is poised to have an impact on public life that parallels [U.S. Sen.] Ted Kennedy."

Asked if she thinks Massachusetts Clinton backers will be willing to organize for an Obama/Biden ticket in New Hampshire, a critical battleground state, Fry said that there is one thing that would undoubtedly energize ever Democrat in the Bay State.

"If McCain picks [former Gov.] Mitt Romney," Fry said, pausing to considering the thought, "I don't think anyone in this state will be under any allusions to what that means."

Ultimately, Bay State Democrats may have a hard time jumping ship to vote for McCain. "I can't speak definitely for every other Clinton supporter in Massachusetts," Mermel said, "but I know that there is no way I will ever vote for John McCain."