http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/mccaskills_668.mp3
The Democratic National Convention gets underway this week and some Missouri Delegates say they fell like they're being shunned because they're supporters of State Auditor Claire McCaskill and her bid to unseat the incumbent Democratic Governor Bob Holden. KSMU's Missy Shelton reports.
REGI BUMGARNER SAYS THERE ARE SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF HOW THE PARTY LEADERSHIP IS SNUBBING THEM.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE BUMGARNERSFORMER HOUSE SPEAKER JIM KREIDER OF NIXA IS ALSO STAYING AT THE HOTEL IN SOMERVILLE.
HE'S ALSO A STRONG MC-CASKILL SUPPORTER.
JIM KREIDER SAYS HE WON'T BACK DOWN FROM SUPPORTING MC-CASKILL, WHO IS NOT SCHEDULED TO ATTEND THE CONVENTION.
KREIDER SAYS IT'S TOO BAD THE STATE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS TREATING HIM AND THE OTHER MC-CASKILL SUPPORTERS THIS WAY.
BUT THE CHAIR OF THE MISSOURI DEMOCRATIC PARTY, MAY SCHEVE SAYS SHE AND OTHER PARTY LEADERS ARE NOT TRYING TO SNUB THE MC-CASKILL SUPPORTERS.
AND THE GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY IS GETTING HEATEDBOTH HOLDEN AND MC-CASKILL HAVE SEVERAL TELVISION COMMERCIALS AIRING AROUND THE STATE.
SCHEVE SAYS EVEN IF THE PRIMARY IS HEATED, THE MISSOURI DEMOCRATIC PARTY WILL COME TOGETHER AFTERWARD TO PRESENT A UNITED FRONT THIS FALL.
BUT KREIDER SAYS IT'S HARD TO CREATE A SENSE OF UNITY WHEN THE DELEGATES AREN'T ALL SLEEPING UNDER THE SAME ROOFDESPITE THAT, HE'S HAVING A GOOD TIME.
BUT LIKE THE BUMGARNERS, KREIDER SAYS HE EXPECTS OTHER SNUBBS FROM THE PARTY LEADERSHIP
AGAIN, THE CHAIR OF THE MISSOURI DEMOCRATIC PARTY MAY SCHEVE SAYS SHE DID NOT INTEND TO SNUB ANY DELEGATES BY ASSIGNING THEM TO AN OVERFLOW HOTELSHE SAYS THERE SIMPLY WASN'T ENOUGH ROOM TO HAVE EVERYONE STAY TOGETHER.