Republicans Gleefully Woo Clinton Backers

Stephanie Simon reports from Denver on the presidential race. Republican operatives have been working since the Democratic convention opened, trying to stoke bitter feelings among Hillary Clinton supporters – and persuade them to vote for GOP candidate John McCain . On Monday, they released a TV ad featuring a former Clinton delegate who’s now supporting McCain. The ad, which got heavy play on cable channels covering the convention, will also air in Wisconsin, Michigan and pockets of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia where Clinton polled particularly well in the primaries. On Tuesday, Republicans put out a second ad targeting Clinton backers – this one with a clip of her praising McCain’s experience and raising doubts about Barack Obama ’s readiness to lead. “What we’re trying to say is, it’s OK. Come aboard. We welcome you,” said Alex Conant , a spokesman for the Republican National Committee. (To reinforce that point, he hosted a “Happy Hour for Hillary” on Monday night at a ... (link)