Clinton delegate feels pressured

DENVER, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Continuing tensions between supporters of Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are showing up within the Colorado Democratic Party delegation, observers say.

Sacha Millstone of Boulder, Colo., a supporter of one-time candidate Clinton, D-N.Y., was asked by the state party leadership to give up her seat at the Democratic National Convention in Denver but refused, The Denver Post reported Tuesday.

"Isn't there a right to free speech? Isn't this right in line with our time-honored tradition with the Dems?" Millstone told the newspaper. "These intimidation tactics have a chilling effect on people feeling comfortable speaking up."

Colorado Democratic delegates loyal to Clinton say all they want is to put her name on the convention ballot, vote for her and then move on to support likely nominee, Obama, D-Ill., before his Aug. 28 acceptance speech. Obama's supporters, however, are pressuring them to unite behind him from the start, the Post said.

"It's inevitable within a party of this size that there will be different views about the merits of the candidates that the parties put forward," Daniel Kagan, a delegate representing Denver, told the Post.