To win in November, Dems must unite

Democrats are in danger of repeating their mistakes of 1968. Pennsylvania exit polls showed 32 percent of Clinton voters wouldn't support Barack Obama in November and as many as 25 percent of Obama supporters might defect if Hillary Clinton is the nominee.

Although many of these potential defectors could be won back by the party's nominee, the longer and the more bitter the nomination battles, the harder that will become. Supporters will become too entrenched and their grievances too grave for some to forgive the winning candidate.

The party's watchword should be: Remember '68. That year, there was a genuine convention floor fight over the party platform and the nominee for president. This hasn't happened in either party during the last 40 years because of the consequences.

The fight on the convention floor in '68 was an echo of the fight between demonstrators and Chicago Police in the streets and parks. In the end, Hubert Humphrey was nominated over the opposition of supporters of Eugene McCarthy, Robert Kennedy and George McGovern. Humphrey himself was a longtime liberal and a basically good man. But the party was so divided over issues such as the Vietnam War that it couldn't be put back together again. The party was so split by its bitter divisions that it lost the election.

As Illinois campaign manager for Eugene McCarthy, I was one of those committed to ending that war, eliminating racism and impeding the imperial presidency. I was also one of those who refused to vote for Humphrey in November.

As a result of withholding our votes, we got Richard Nixon as our president, and the war dragged on many more years to an inglorious conclusion. Sure, President Nixon did some good. For instance, he opened diplomatic relations with China. But he was also the first president to be driven from the White House -- for the crimes of Watergate. He permanently blemished the office. Perhaps worst of all, he undermined voter conference in our political system. It is a malady from which our nation still suffers.

There are many positive aspects of what we did in 1968. We felt passionately about politics and government policies. We participated even if it required personal sacrifice. We were idealistic and committed to democracy and justice. But Democrats should learn from our history and avoid repeating our mistakes.

In early June, the remaining superdelegates should declare their support for the candidate leading in the popular and delegate support. Whichever candidate then loses should support the other candidate in return for a major speech at the convention, getting their key planks in the party platform, and, perhaps, influencing in the choice of the vice presidential nominee.

To win this November, the Democratic Party must unite. The primaries thus far have created enthusiasm, massive voter registration and strong publicity that will help a candidate in the fall campaign. President Bush's low approval ratings signal that voters are ready for a change.

Yet, it will be hard enough to elect either the first African-American or the first female president. Prejudice and bigotry still run high. Democrats must stand together or we will be defeated as we were in '68.

That year was both the best of times and the worst of times. For Democrats, the lesson to be remembered is that when the divisions between candidates and factions got too bitter and too entrenched, we lost.

After the final primaries on June 3, it is critical that we all agree on a nominee and unite -- not just for the sake of party victory but for the sake of the country.