Slur shows deep divide between Obama, Clinton camps

DENVER - Bitter divisions between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton supporters erupted Monday amid claims that Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Jr., Obama's political mentor, called a black Clinton delegate an "Uncle Tom."

Jones, who's also black, denied the comment to reporters, saying he'd said "doubting Thomas" and the delegate misunderstood him.

But Chicago political consultant Delmarie Cobb stuck by her story, saying Jones had sought her out before to ridicule her Clinton loyalty.

"How this (Obama's campaign) has become a litmus test for being black, I don't understand it," Cobb said.

As news of the disputed comment spread, there was a collective cringe among Illinois delegates who'd arrived in Denver preaching a unity message on both a local and national level in an effort to move beyond intense internal bickering, not only between Illinois Democratic leaders, but also the Obama and Clinton campaigns.

In recent days, there have been growing questions and concerns regarding the role the Clintons will play here. Supporters have frequently complained they feel like they're being strong-armed, and polls show many Clinton supporters unwilling to embrace Obama as the nominee.

All of this is raising fears within Democratic circles that an outbreak of political cannibalism could jeopardize the party's shot at the White House or at the very least tarnish this week's festivities.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said as much Monday in addressing the Illinois crowd, saying Republicans would love nothing more than for Democrats to circle the wagon and start shooting themselves.

And U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Evanston Democrat, held up a USA Today article showing lagging support for Obama among Clinton backers while noting that if everyone who voted Democrat in the primaries votes for Obama, he'll win.

"I want to call on the Clinton delegates here and everywhere to help us do that. And if you have trouble making the argument, I offer you two words: Supreme Court," Schakowsky said. "Think about it. There are so many, many reasons that organized labor, that women, that minorities, that ordinary everyday Americans need to choose Barack Obama."

Things may come to a head today when Clinton is slated to address the convention.

Longtime Clinton strategist James Carville told The Associated Press that the campaign wounds are still raw, and "the healing process is going to take a little longer than four days."

However, Obama, speaking during an Iowa campaign stop, claimed both Hillary and Bill Clinton "couldn't have been more clear" in their support of his candidacy.

The concern isn't as much for what she'll say, but what the Clinton delegates will do. Many of them are vocally unhappy with how they say they've been treated by the victorious Obama crowd.

"We didn't do anything wrong. We supported the candidate of our choice. How is that wrong? Why is there a 'them against us mentality' in this race? I've never seen anything like this before?" said Cobb.

She said Jones labeled her an "Uncle Tom" over the weekend at a Denver hotel after she walked away from his efforts to try to sell her on Obama. Jones claims she misunderstood him.

"She heard the last part of what I said," Jones said following Monday morning's Illinois delegation breakfast. "I said 'doubting Thomases' - I said 'We don't need anymore doubting Thomases. We all have got to be together.' She misinterpreted what I said."

Latasha Thomas, Chicago City Council 17th Ward alderman, called the Daily Herald to say she witnessed the event and never heard Jones say "Uncle Tom."

Cobb said there is no question in her mind that Jones used the racially charged term.