"Nobama" party mixes drinks, HRC anger

Hillary clinton supporters who have now come out for John McCain gathered with Republicans Monday night for a "Hillary Happy Hour" party.

About 150 Clinton supporters and Republicans met at the Paramount Cafe on the 16th Street Mall Monday night, some wearing Clinton stickers and shirts and most wearing "Nobama" stickers too. Republicans paid for the party.

Cristi Adkins, a co-founder of Clintons for McCain, said she did not like the treatment Clinton supporters received at the hands of Obama campaigners, which she said was sexist.

And Adkins, who lives in northern Virginia, said Obama is "inexperienced, unqualified and untrustworthy."

She said about 3,000 people have signed up to be members of her organization.

Like others at the party, Adkins said she did not plan to heed Clinton's call to support Obama.

"Just because I voted for her doesn't mean I'm a groupie," Adkins said. "When I cast my vote, it's going to be for someone I trust."

Jennie Lou Leeder, a Texas delegate from Llano pledged for Clinton, was among those in attendance. Leeder, though, stopped short of saying she would support McCain.

"I plan to vote for the best-qualified candidate for my country," she said.

Leeder said it was wrong that Clinton is "having to fight" to get a roll vote on the convention floor.

Various Clinton supporters at the gathering expressed frustration over the caucus process, saying there was intimidation of Clinton supporters and fraud in some cases.

Elizabeth Joyce of Boston, a staunch Clinton supporter and a co-founder of PUMA, or Party Unity My Ass, said she hadn't committeed to McCain but was listening to him.

"Ironically, Sen. Obama has not asked for my vote," Joyce said. "If I vote for Sen. McCain, it would be a protest vote.

"I thought the Democrats were the good guys."

At a Colorado delegation breakfast this morning, several Clinton delegates were fuming over a rumor that the party would hold delegation votes at hotels rather than on the floor.

"We're angry about it," said Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a pharmacist from Boulder. "It has the appearance of secrecy."

On Monday, Polly Baca, a former state lawmaker and a Clinton delegate who said she will throw her support behind Obama, said if delegates "care about" the country, they'll support the Illinois senator.

For delegates like Sacha Millstone of Boulder, the call for unity rang hollow.

"There is no requirement for unity," Mllstone said, saying she wasn't sure whether she would vote for McCain or not.

"I think McCain is not good on the issues I care about," she said. "However, I am very upset about the process and the sexism that our leadership and Obama did not nothing about.

"I feel right now neither party is speaking to me.

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