ABC’s Kate Snow reports: The crowd's mood was but strained but supportive at Thursday’s meeting between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and about 150 of Clinton’s top donors at a Washington hotel.There's a lot of anger out there among the Clinton true believers. They don't like the way their gal was treated during the campaign, and they don't think Obama is qualified to be president. It's hard to disagree with them on that last point.
The former rivals appeared upbeat and spoke supportively and enthusiastically of each other in their 30 minute meeting. They were warmly received by the crowd, but several attendees said they couldn’t help but feel tension, even while they were likely to play supportive roles in Obama's race against Republican John McCain.
One major Clinton donor described it this way: "This felt like when your mom forces you to go visit your Aunt Ida and she has to pinch your cheeks and you're sitting there in an uncomfortable suit and you can't wait to leave."
Another Clinton-leaning person who was in the room said after the meeting wrapped up that there is still "a lot of anger" toward Obama among Clinton's wealthiest fans.
"It was pretty bad," this source said. He said donors were joking that the scene was like "an Irish wake" and that you "could cut the air with a knife" it was so tense in the room.
"He better go back to the internet," said one donor about the Democratic nominee’s fundraising tactics.
"Most people left there feeling he didn't connect," said the person who was in the room. However, when asked if the donors still might write a check to Obama, he conceded that it was entirely possible.
Some of these donors will make perfunctory donations to keep up the appearances of being a good Democrat soldier, but I doubt their hearts will be in it, and frankly, many of them will be just fine with the idea that Obama might lose. It will give their gal another shot in 2012.
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