Democrats critical of outcome, poll shows

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By Donald Lambro

More than 40 percent of Democratic voters either think the primary process failed to produce the right presidential candidate for their party or aren't sure it did, a new Fox 5/The Washington Times/Rasmussen poll finds.

The polls shows that 25 percent of Democratic voters don't think the party got it right in selecting Sen. Barack Obama as its nominee, with an additional 17 percent "not sure," an indication that Democrats remain somewhat divided after the bitter fight between Mr. Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Fifty-seven percent did think Mr. Obama was the right choice in the poll taken after the Illinois senator clinched the Democratic nomination but just before Mrs. Clinton of New York formally suspended her campaign.

It also found that 43 percent either didn't think or aren't sure Mrs. Clinton wants Mr. Obama to defeat presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain.

But despite the lingering questions about party unity, the poll did find Democrats appear ready to back Mr. Obama.

Asked whether they will vote for the Democratic nominee, 83 percent said they will "definitely" or "probably" vote for Mr. Obama, and only 6 percent said they will probably or definitely vote for the Arizona senator - much lower than some earlier projections in other surveys of party defections entering the 20 percent range.

As for Republicans, 75 percent of Republicans said they will definitely or probably vote for Mr. McCain, but 15 percent said they would definitely or probably vote for Mr. Obama.

Democrats also see a role for Mrs. Clinton in an Obama administration, with 41 percent saying she should be Mr. Obama's vice-presidential running mate and another 20 percent saying she should be appointed to a Cabinet post if he is elected. Only 13 percent said she should stay out of the campaign.