Rift among Democrats running deep

WASHINGTON, May 19 (UPI) -- Some supporters for Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama say they will have second thoughts about voting if their favorite candidate isn't heading the ticket.

"There's just been an attitude that if you aren't voting for Barack Obama, then you're a racist," Kathleen Cowley, a Massachusetts resident, told The Washington Post. "I just find that intolerable."

Many African-Americans have complained about the negative campaign tone and accused the New York senator's camp of using Obama's race against him. Younger voters who support the Illinois senator said they are inspired by the man, not the party.

The rift has gone on so long that the presidential candidates must use up valuable campaign time to heal the party instead of focusing on Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee.

"You can't afford to leak away all of these Democrats come November," said David Paleologos, Suffolk University Political Research Center director

The Democratic nominee will have to solidify the base, he said, cutting into the time to reach out to independents "because first you've got to take care of business at home."