Inside Politics Daily

Dems Try to Oust Delegate for McCain

Posted:
06/27/08
There's a Democratic National Convention delegate from Wisconsin who has her fellow Dems in a tizzy.

Debra Bartoshevich, who pledged to back Hillary Rodham Clinton, is defending herself from an attempt by Wisconsin Democrats to take away her credentials because of her past statement that she would vote for John McCain if Clinton wasn't the nominee. She recently was quoted in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as saying she would vote for the McCain in November if the Democratic Party nominated Barack Obama.

"Keeping national delegate status is very important to me," Bartoshevich told the AP. "I believe that Hillary is the better candidate of all of them."

She told the Sentinel she felt Clinton was being treated unfairly and she questioned Obama's experience. She also signed up with "Citizens for McCain," after her Iraq war veteran sister egged her on.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin filed a formal credentials challenge Wednesday against the emergency room nurse and mother of two from Racine County. The Sentinel notes that in its challenge, the state party argued that Bartoshevich "embarrassed" them in the media with her decision, and:

• Violated party rules in expressing support for the other party's presumptive nominee.

• Violated party rules requiring that delegates be "bona fide Democrats who are faithful to the interests, welfare and success of the Democratic Party of the United States."

• Failed to honor a pledge that delegates sign stating their intent to vote for the party's presidential ticket in the fall.
The state convention approved a resolution to challenge Bartoshevich's status as a delegate on June 13. A DNC staffer told the Sentinel that, before taking any steps, the party would ask Bartoshevich to respond to the challenge. The DNC's credentials committee will ultimately decide the matter. Bartoshevich told AP she has 10 days to respond to the credentials challenge.

Wisconsin Democratic Party chairman Joe Wineke said state and national party rules say that anyone who won't support the party's presidential nominee is not qualified to serve as a delegate to the convention.

Bartoshevich's decision stunned state party leaders. In an earlier interview with the Sentinel, she said the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Tony Rezko reflected poorly on Obama's judgment. She said someone with strong foreign policy credentials is vital in this election, and that Clinton was treated unfairly in the nominating contests .

"No self-respecting woman should wish or work for the success of a party that ignores her - that's by Susan B. Anthony," said Bartoshevich, who calls herself a "devoted Democrat" who has never voted for a Republican for president.

Bartoshevich may so far be the only delegate causing a ruckus over crossing party lines, but she's certainly not the only Clinton supporter who may opt for McCain instead. Obama's trying to woo those voters.

"I'm on a lot of the (pro-Clinton) blogs, and so many people, male and female, feel the same way as I do," said Bartoshevich. "The Democrats jumped on this wagon of Barack Obama, and nobody really knows him."

Liza Porteus Viana

Liza Porteus Viana has been a political journalist for almost 10 years, both in Washington and New York. She loves politics - the smell of it, the sport of it...more

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