Pat Dollard | Young Americans

Local Clinton backers, McCain adviser meet

BY BORYS KRAWCZENIUK - (Scranton Times Trib)

A brother of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and local Democrats who backed her unsuccessful presidential campaign socialized privately Monday with a top surrogate of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain.

The private gathering featured Carly Fiorina, Mr. McCain’s top economic adviser, and took place at the Dunmore home of political consultant Jamie Brazil, a longtime friend of Mrs. Clinton’s family who has signed on as paid national director of Mr. McCain’s Citizens for McCain Coalition.

The attendees included Tony Rodham, Mrs. Clinton’s youngest sibling, his wife, Megan, and their two children; attorney Kathleen Granahan Kane, who coordinated Mrs. Clinton’s presidential campaign in Northeast Pennsylvania during the primary election; and Virginia McGregor, sister of Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty.

With the Democratic National Convention less than a week away, the gathering raises questions about the support Illinois Sen. Barack Obama can expect from former local supporters of Mrs. Clinton, who dominated at the polls in the Northeast in the April primary election. Mrs. Clinton won 74 percent of Lackawanna County Democrats to Mr. Obama’s 26 percent.

Ms. Fiorina’s daylong local visit, part of a two-day bus tour of the state, was aimed at talking disenchanted former supporters of Mrs. Clinton into supporting Mr. McCain. The private gathering was not a fundraiser.

“I think there’s going to be a groundswell of support for McCain,” said Lackawanna County District Attorney Andy Jarbola, a Republican and one of the people who attended. “I think a lot of Hillary supporters are going to be for McCain.”

Efforts to reach Mr. Brazil, Mr. Rodham and a spokesman for Mrs. Clinton were unsuccessful.

Ellen Mellody, the Northeast spokeswoman for Mr. Obama’s campaign, declined to comment on Mr. Rodham’s presence at the meeting, but said Mr. Obama’s backing by Mrs. Clinton and Gov. Ed Rendell is supplemented by growing local support.

“We’re seeing huge support and momentum throughout the region,” Ms. Mellody said. “Currently, we have over 1,000 volunteers, many of which are independent Republicans and former Clinton supporters and volunteers. We expect to sign up hundreds more in the coming weeks. We have three offices open in the region, and we are opening two more shortly.”

Mrs. Kane said her presence at the gathering should not be read as a sign of support for Mr. McCain.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure. I’m trying to get as much information as I can on both of them,” she said when asked if she’s backing Mr. McCain. “I would have loved to see her as president. We still have a week to go. You never know what’s going to happen at the convention. I think she would be a fantastic choice (for vice president).”

Mrs. Kane said she didn’t read Mr. Rodham’s presence as a sign he’s supporting Mr. McCain.

“No, it definitely does not. The reason he was there was because he and Jamie are very good friends,” Mrs. Kane said. “I think that was just a social call.”

Mrs. McGregor declined to say if she’s supporting Mr. Obama but said she attended because Mr. Brazil is a friend.

“I was always a fan of Carly,” she said.

Mrs. McGregor’s appearance also is no indicator of the position of her brother, Mr. Doherty, she said.

“It didn’t mean anything,” said Mrs. McGregor, who ran Mr. Doherty’s successful 2005 re-election campaign. “I’m just a housewife. I’m a nobody.”

Mr. Doherty has publicly endorsed Mr. Obama.

Ms. Fiorina spoke briefly about Mr. McCain’s economic policies but mostly mingled with her audience, Mr. Jarbola said. About 20 people attended.

After dropping by Mr. Brazil’s home, Ms. Fiorina addressed a public event at the Ramada Inn in South Abington Township. About a third of the audience was Democrats, based on a show of hands Ms. Fiorina requested.

Ms. Fiorina peppered her Ramada remarks with references to Mrs. Clinton, an oddity considering many of the attendees were Republicans who detest the New York senator.

Mr. Brazil is a longtime close friend of the Rodham family and a friend of Mr. Rendell, who also supported Mrs. Clinton.

Mr. Rendell is endorsing Mr. Obama, although he has said he will vote for Mrs. Clinton when her name is placed in nomination at the convention next week.

Lackawanna County Recorder of Deeds Evie Rafalko McNulty, a Clinton convention delegate who plans to support Mr. Obama after the convention, lamented Mr. Rodham’s appearance at Mr. Brazil’s home for the private get-together with Ms. Fiorina.

“Poor Hillary,” she said. “You can pick you friends, but you can’t pick your family.”

Me here: HEH!!!