Clinton effect in the West "a dirty little secret"?

John Millin, the state Democratic Party chairman of Wyoming, knows that he may upset Democratic Party leaders who'd like a unified front leading up to the 2008 presidential election.

But he’s stirring it up anyway, claiming that "most voters in Wyoming seem to hate Hillary Clinton" and that her nomination for president would "kill the chances" of many Democratic candidates in Wyoming.

John Millin, Wyoming Democratic Party chairman

He cites her "liberal, big government" reputation and writes that if she is the nominee, "We will also be the target of the locker room jokes that rightfully belong to Bill Clinton."

Wyoming, home state of Vice President Dick Cheney, is a Republican stronghold that hasn't voted Democratic for president since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. However, Wyoming has a two-term Democratic governor, Dave Freudenthal, and the possibility of a competitive race in 2008 for the state's lone U.S. House seat.

Millin claims Democratic party "progress" in Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West "will be completely reversed if Hillary Clinton is our party's presidential nominee."

In a letter titled "Wyoming's Hillary Dilemma" that he sent to PoliticsWest, Millin writes, “It has become the dirty little secret in the Democratic Party. My fears for the Wyoming Democratic Party are shared by some party leaders throughout the Rocky Mountain West.”

That remains to be seen - and heard. Democratic Party chairs in Colorado and New Mexico dispute Millin's contention, according to The Denver Post.

"The Democratic National Committee and the state Democratic spokesman in Wyoming hastened to point out that the party is neutral in the primary campaign and that Millin's opinions are his own," The Post reported.

An L.A. Times story raised the issue in September, quoting pollster Floyd Ciruli saying that Clinton is "carrying huge negatives" in the Rocky Mountain West.

The Clinton campaign released a memo in October from campaign strategist Mark Penn titled “How Hillary Will Win the West.”

When told about Millin’s remarks, Clinton campaign spokesperson Isaac Baker sent this statement: “Hillary Clinton’s been a change agent for 35 years, and she’s the only candidate who’s taken on the Republican attack machine and won. That’s why poll after poll show her beating the Republican candidates in a general election matchup.”

Millin, a superdelegate who has committed to Barack Obama, stuck to his guns in an interview. Asked to send a photo of himself, he e-mailed back on Thursday, "Based on several conversations I had yesterday, you may want to superimpose a bull's eye over it."

Excerpts follow from the interview Wednesday with Millin, a Cheyenne, Wyo., opthamologist who was elected state party chair in April.

On his contention that Democratic Party leaders in other Western states share his concerns:

“When I went to the DNC (Democratic National Committee) meeting in Tysons Corner, Va., two weekends ago, as I talked to some of my colleagues from other states, including ones from Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, and kind-of eastern Washington state, they kind of had the same concerns. In fact, some of the people were very animated, or enthusiastic about the fact that 'Oh, I finally got to talk to someone else who was willing to admit this problem' people in these states and areas will likely face...if Hillary Clinton becomes our party's nominee for president."

On his connection to the Obama campaign:

“I was lucky enough to have gone to the 2004 (Democratic) National Convention in Boston. And I think I was like most people in the room that night, when you listened to [Obama’s keynote] speech, you thought, ‘Oh my God, this guy should be president.’ So that’s probably really where it began.”

“Yet, when you listened to the contents of the speech, much of what he said he could have actually delivered at the Republican National Convention. It tells me that he understands that we have a significant problem, particularly with our federal government in terms of the parties not willing to cooperate in any way. They’re just sort of out to get each another.”

“I had not formerly even committed to Obama as a superdelegate until, I don’t remember exactly, it was roughly maybe a week before the DNC meeting. I did fill out the form that I formally pledged my vote to Sen. Obama. I actually did meet him there. So beyond that, I have no role with the Obama campaign."

"I have a senior in high school, and my wife [state legislator Lori Millen]; both like Barack Obama. So back maybe a couple months ago I bought some t-shirts and bumper stickers off of the Obama website, but that’s all I’ve contributed financially. I haven’t actually sat down and written out a check to the Obama campaign.”

On potential backlash for speaking out:

“Since you and I have sent e-mails back and forth, there are other people in the state party who are aware of this piece that I had written. The negative reactions I get are like, ‘What the hell are you doing? You can’t send that letter to anyone.’"

"Really, the caution is based not on the merits of the letter itself but the possibility of some retribution if I’m out there - and particularly if Mrs. Clinton winds up being our party’s nominee. Personally, I’m not a professional politician by any means. I’m an opthamologist by trade and that’s what I do. I have this position just because I’m interested in politics."

"But I certainly have no aspiration for anything beyond what I’m doing now. So if there’s some political price to pay, then I’m more than happy to pay it. But I do think what I put in the letter is the truth. I think it’s an important issue and it’s something I would like to see discussed.”

Note: this article was updated Friday morning to reflect Denver Post reporting.

Bookmark/Search this post with: