Bad Blood Between Bill and Bill

Let's not pretend that the Democrat Party is one big happy diverse family.

The battle to be the presidential nominee is so bitter.

If it ended tomorrow, that wouldn't undo the damage that's been done.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Former President Clinton is still smarting over New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Barack Obama.

During a private meeting with California Democrats this past weekend, Clinton grew red-faced as he talked about how he expected Richardson, who was a member of Clinton's Cabinet, to back Hillary Rodham Clinton for the presidential nomination or at least stay neutral, according to several people who attended.

Instead, Richardson endorsed Obama late last month, calling him a "once-in-a-lifetime leader."

"He sort of gets a little redder and redder and redder, but he wasn't off the deep end as I had seen him in the past," said Inola Henry, an uncommitted superdelegate. "It was sort of like, 'Gee, I'm a martyr.' He seemed more hurt than anything."

Clinton used his appearance at the state Democratic Party convention in San Jose to lobby California's 21 uncommitted superdelegates to support his wife.

After posing for a group photograph with the former president, superdelegate Rachel Binah told Clinton she was disappointed that one of his allies, strategist James Carville, had compared Richardson to Judas after he endorsed Obama.

Clinton, according to several people present, distanced himself from Carville's remarks. But he went on to say that he had not expected Richardson to endorse the Illinois senator, especially since the New Mexico governor had invited Clinton to Santa Fe to watch the Super Bowl on Feb. 3.

"He did say he certainly had been led to believe that he was going to get the endorsement," Henry said Wednesday. She was one of about 15 superdelegates — some uncommitted, others backing Clinton — who attended Sunday's meeting with Clinton before he addressed the convention.

Aleita Huguenin, another superdelegate, remembered Clinton saying, "We thought he'd let us know if he did an endorsement." But Huguenin said the comments about Richardson were "a minor blip in the whole meeting."

According superdelegate Chris Stampolis, Clinton said only that Richardson had promised not to endorse Obama, saying, "'He told me to my face five times he would not do that.'"

Binah did not respond to repeated requests for comment, but she previously told The Associated Press she supports Clinton. Other superdelegates interviewed by the AP said it was Binah's statement that prompted Clinton's comments about Richardson's decision.

Pahl Shipley, a spokesman for Richardson, said his boss never promised to endorse Hillary Clinton.

"He never told the president or anybody else, for that matter," Shipley said. "The governor respectfully disagrees with the president."

How angry did Bill Clinton really get?

What shade of red was his face?

Certainly, news of Bill's impassioned remarks, his "eruption," isn't coming from Hillary's campaign.

The telling of this incident provides an opportunity for Barack Obama's campaign to put Bill Clinton in a bad light again.

When Bill's gets mad, voters turn on Hillary and turn to Obama.

So who would want to spread news of Bill Clinton's screed?

I think Richardson is pushing back. He's defending his good name after being deemed a traitor.

Bill Clinton can't seem to handle betrayal. He's used to doing the betraying, not being on the receiving end.

I don't care about accounts of the various psychodramas among the Democrats. Clinton's face turned red. Richardson's a traitor. Whatever.

I care about what it all means for November. I don't think the wounds suffered in the battle for the nomination are superficial ones. The cuts are deep. The fractures are severe.

Will it be possible for the Dems to heal in time to wage a vigorous campaign against John McCain?

I don't know, but I do think the pain and the bad feelings will linger.

For the most part, the divisions among the Dems are about the candidates' personality, race, and gender. There aren't major policy differences between Obama and Hillary. This tight race is a popularity contest, void of significant substance.

It's about image and ego more than anything else.