The calls were for Democratic unity Saturday morning, but it was hard to come by in Pontiac as the 9th congressional district convention devolved into shouting matches over who should become delegates to the national convention.

Both Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were awarded three delegates each from the 9th Congressional district and the Clinton caucus was over within 15 minutes with no real controversy.

But the caucus for the uncommitted delegates lasted for more than two hours as tensions evolved between solid supporters of Sen. Barack Obama and union-backed candidates who declined to say who they would vote for at the convention.

"I'm a UAW member and have been very active in the 9th district and Democratic Party," said Catherine Martin, who was seeking an uncommitted delegate slot. "Because the UAW has not endorsed a candidate yet, I'm running as an uncommitted delegate."

That wasn't good enough for many in the crowd of more than 100 people who wanted a promise that the uncommitted delegates elected Saturday would vote for Obama at the national convention in Denver in August.

"I signed up when he announced in February," said Doris Powers Toney, who has been volunteering for the Obama campaign and has helped organize several road trips for Obama supporters to work in other states holding primary elections.

In the end, Toney and Martin were elected as delegates, but not before Martin and another union-backed candidate tried to claim two delegate slots by running as a slate, instead of as individuals. A second Obama delegate candidate lost out by one vote.

"I'm madder than hell," said Gwen Taylor, of Farmington Hills. "They tried to pull the wool over our eyes Hello, the UAW is for Hillary."

The UAW has not endorsed any candidate yet.

Taylor promised to withhold her vote in November if Clinton becomes the nominee.

"At some point, these backroom shenanigans have got to stop," she said. "If she's the nominee, I would have to consider voting for John McCain."

Joseph Person, an Obama supporter from West Bloomfield, said he would have a hard time pulling the lever for Clinton in November.

"There is serious resentment on the part of African Americans because (former President Bill) Clinton played the race card in South Carolina," Person said. "To try and disrespect us now and then expect us to carry you to victory in November is dishonest.

"But I'll take my marching orders from Barack, because any Democrat is better than the same old, same old," he added.

Linda Varonich, a Clinton supporter from Pontiac, said it won't be hard to work for whoever the candidate is.

"I still want Hillary to win so badly," she said. "But I'll go door-to-door in my neighborhood for Obama if he's the nominee, because I just want my country back."

Deborah Goldberg, chairman of the 9th Congressional district Democrats, said she sees hope in Saturday's events even if there was dissension among the party faithful.

"Somebody from each segment of the party got elected today, so that shows we're going to come together in the end," she said. "We're just going to have to gear ourselves toward bringing all these people together."

A total of 83 delegates and 15 alternates were elected in district conventions across the state Saturday. Official results of the election won't be available until later this week. Another 45 will be selected on May 17 by the state Democratic Party's central committee. In addition, Michigan has 28 superdelegates.

What the state doesn't have yet is an invitation to the national convention. The Democratic National Committee stripped Michigan of its delegates when it moved its primary to Jan. 15 in violation of party rules. While both campaigns and the DNC have said that Michigan should have a delegation at the convention, a solution on how to seat those delegates has not been reached.

Neither candidate campaigned in the state and Obama withdrew his name from the Jan. 15 ballot because of the rules violation.

Detroit Free Press, April 19, 2008