Debate Solidifies Election Picks for Broadway Dems

Gathering around a TV with snacks and politically inclined friends, members of the Broadway Democrats crowded into an Upper West Side apartment Thursday night in the hope of choosing their nominee.

Although the Broadway Dems officially endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) some weeks ago, the group still included some undecided voters. The 17th democratic debate served as an opportunity to change this. In particular, supporters of former candidate Senator John Edwards, who ended his quest for the presidency Wednesday, weighed their two remaining options.

“I’m reserving my judgment until later tonight,” said Broadway Dems member Joe Levine, who had long supported Edwards. Levine said he was hesitant to side with the Dems and chose Clinton because he disagreed with the way she voted on the Iraq war. “I’ve been on Clinton’s e-mail list for years,” he said. “She sent out an e-mail against the war that concluded by saying that things in the White House happen that we don’t know about, and then went and voted the way she did. Since then I’ve been uneasy about her and her policies.”

Others, like Three Parks Democrat Steve Marks, identified themselves as “recovering Edwards supporters” who were unsure of whether Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) or Clinton should receive their support.

Members of the Dems overwhelmingly voted for Clinton when selecting the candidate to endorse, with the senator from New York ultimately winning 50 percent of the group’s votes. Some in attendance wore their allegiance to Clinton on their sleeves, sporting Hillary ’08 pins and 1-20-09 hats as they crowded around the TV. Dems President Richard Siegel made a thumbs up to express his agreement with many of the former first lady’s statements.

Though some members’ support for candidates was unclear, the entire room exuded a clear lack of support for debate moderator Wolf Blitzer. Throughout the course of the night, Dems District Leader Paula Diamond-Román made her disdain for Blitzer known­—particularly because she saw him as trying to instigate a catfight between the two candidates.

Dems members stayed after the debate to follow up on some of the issues. While those who were undecided didn’t publicly make their decisions known, all agreed that the night was a “good night for the Democratic party.”

lydia.wileden@columbiaspectator.com.