Pa. Dems take some heat for backing Obama

HARRISBURG - There is nothing that infuriates State Sen. Lisa Boscola more than the two-syllable adjective hurled at her in recent weeks - and from fellow Democrats, to boot: traitor.

All because she supports Sen. Barack Obama for president.

"I'm a steelworker's daughter," said Boscola, a Democrat from the Lehigh Valley who is fervently rooting for Obama over Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. "I agree with Barack when he talks about how no one in America who works should be poor. His message just resonates with me."

Boscola considers herself a maverick. She is a woman voting for a man in a race that could elect a woman to the presidency for the first time in U.S. history. And she is in a party whose top leaders, including Gov. Rendell and T.J. Rooney, the state Democratic Party chairman, have enthusiastically come out for Clinton.

Her experience illustrates the deep and often passionate divide among Democrats in the Capitol, where next month's primary has become the talk of the halls even as lawmakers try to sort through the state budget, health care, and other weighty legislation.

The April 22 primary will mark the first time in a generation that the state has had a genuine voice in selecting a presidential nominee.

And although Rendell has frequently said he believes Democrats will handily deliver a victory for Clinton - and he will dispatch a vast political and fund-raising machine to ensure that happens - there are fissures, particularly in key battlegrounds.

In Philadelphia and its suburbs, State Sen. Anthony Williams (D., Phila.), State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Phila.) and State Rep. Josh Shapiro (D., Montgomery) are all self-professed Obama fans.

Then there are State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo (D., Phila.), State Rep. Dwight Evans (D., Phila.), and State Rep. Greg Vitali (D., Delaware) - all uncommitted.

Beyond Philadelphia, there are Boscola and Senate Minority Leader Robert J. Mellow (D., Lackawanna). Both unabashedly back Obama.

"I respect the governor; he's a good friend of mine," Mellow said, "but I am for Obama. He is a breath of fresh air, and I think he represents the best chance for the country."

Like other Obama supporters, Mellow has felt pressure - often not subtle - from the other side.

In the days leading up to Clinton's rally Monday in Scranton - the county seat of the Lackawanna County district he represents - Mellow said he was "phone-called to death" by Clinton supporters.

Every time, he told them the same thing: He is unwavering in his support for Obama.

"I think there are some people here in Harrisburg that find it difficult to believe that we aren't jumping on Hillary's bandwagon," Mellow said. "And some people are upset. . . . But in the end, you have to vote for the person you believe in."

State Sen. Connie Williams (D., Montgomery) said that she agreed but that her political heart belonged to Clinton - and not just because she's a woman.

"She is very smart and very sophisticated," Williams said. "She does her homework and knows how to get it done. Because it's important in this business that you don't get taken advantage of or get snookered."

Rooney, the state Democratic chair, said yesterday that although he and Rendell and many other top Democrats back Clinton, the state party had not endorsed any candidate. He added that "there are no hard feelings" if some Democrats choose Obama.

"Have I encouraged people to look at the race in a certain way? Certainly. Has the governor? Clearly. But we do so with the understanding that there are differences in opinion that need to be embraced and respected," Rooney said.

Boscola wouldn't say who used the "T" word with her but she said: "I get women coming up to me calling me a traitor, not voting for a woman. These are political insiders, committee people, elected officials."

Sen. Anthony Williams' support for Obama hasn't landed him in hot water with fellow Democrats and Clinton loyalists, but it led to a rather uncomfortable moment with the former leader of the free world last week.

Former President Bill Clinton was addressing Democrats at Philadelphia City Committee, and Williams was in the audience. Afterward, Williams raised his hand, identified himself as an Obama supporter and while making a point about Pennsylvania's primary, commented about the divisiveness of South Carolina's primary.

That was the primary in which President Clinton was criticized by some for his attacks on Obama.

That got the former president going. He didn't yell, but his voice did go up several decibel levels, according to several people in the room.

"I didn't say anything back," said Williams, who was reluctant to talk about the exchange, but who agreed to answer questions about it when asked. "Because, I mean, he was the president of the United States, after all."