At Warmdaddy's, Cooling Toward Clinton

Vernita Colclough said she worries about the "petty little things" said in the campaign; husband Wade points out that "politics is a contact sport and this is a heated challenge." (By John Mcdonnell -- The Washington Post)
Buy Photo

"This thing about honky-tonk America, drinking a beer and shooting guns, is just patronizing to people in small towns and in big cities, where we also feel forgotten about," Williams said. "I don't think it's good for the country. I don't think it's good for the Democratic Party, and it's not good for African Americans, who have been loyal supporters of the Democratic Party. Whether people like it or not, these scars will remain after the Democratic primary is over."

West Philadelphia ward leader Carol Campbell said some constituents have told her "they could never support [Clinton]. They think she went too far. I've heard a lot of them say that if she would stoop to this to win the nomination, what would she do as president?"

Still, a dozen black voters interviewed at Warmdaddy's and Diane & Tom's Café, a soul-food restaurant in the city's Germantown area, said they would vote for her in November if she is the nominee, even though they are Obama supporters.

"I think the love that people used to have for the Clintons -- both Bill and Hillary -- that's tarnished significantly in the last couple of months, [but we] understand these are political campaigns," said state Sen. Vincent Hughes, who is backing Obama. "The Democratic Party has a history of having these fights and figuring out a way to come together, but it will take a lot of work."

Clinton, who has the support of Philadelphia's first-term mayor, Michael A. Nutter, has been careful not to step on any more toes here. At a party dinner this week attended primary by black politicians, she spoke glowingly about the chance both candidates have to make history.

Polling director Jon Cohen in Washington contributed to this report.