Bottoms up!

But will they follow her lead and throw their support to Barack Obama — or flip him the bird?

Anticipation:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton will tell her pledged delegates on Wednesday that they can vote for presidential hopeful Barack Obama at this week’s convention, several of her supporters said today.

Legally, delegates from 10 states who are elected to support a certain candidate are obliged to vote for that person, even if he or she isn’t running for president anymore. The rest of the state delegates can technically vote for whomever they want at the roll call.

By taking this action, Clinton is freeing up her pledged delegates in those states from their legal obligations.

Still many crestfallen Clinton delegates said Sunday they were still going to vote for her.

Hear the PUMAs roar.

Hot off the presses from the NYT and CBS, 42 percent of her delegates (20 percent of all delegates) say they’re ready to go PUMA. Will releasing them change that?

Still on schedule: The “Hillary Now/No Obamination – Hillary Now for McCain” rally on Thursday, 11:45am – 12:30pm from Mariposa Street to Federal/Invesco Field.

And there’s this:

Enraged by reports that Sen. Clinton was not even vetted to join the Obama ticket, some of her delegates are now circulating a petition to force a floor vote on Clinton for vice president. It’s hard for these diehards to understand why Clinton, who garnered 18 million votes, was passed over for Biden, whose standing in the polls was the same as comedian Stephen Colbert’s.

The delegate who organized the move, Texas high-school teacher Aaron Paz, says the petition needs at least 300 signatures. So far he has about 500 committments from national delegates to sign and circulate the petition.

The Paz crowd points out that the 1944 Democratic convention rejected President Franklin Roosevelt’s vice president, Henry Wallace, for another term – instead nominating Sen. Harry Truman of Missouri.
But the story’s more complex: Party leaders, concerned about his failing health, had already strong-armed FDR into ditching Wallace for Truman before the floor vote. No such thing will happen with Obama, obviously.

Paz & Co. recognize the uphill battle they face, but he says they have a “hospitality room, copies of the petition, clipboards, communication plans, timelines, speeches, floor rules and a strong dedication to make the party stronger with Hillary on the ticket.”

***

Update: Aw, how sweet…

RNC HOSTS HAPPY HOUR FOR HILLARY IN DENVER

DENVER – As the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Denver, Colo., the Republican National Committee (RNC) will host a Happy Hour for Hillary today. From Republicans to independents to open-minded Democrats, John McCain is gathering support from voters nationwide who believe that he is the most qualified candidate to lead our country as Commander in Chief.

Space is limited, and attendees must present both a valid DNCC and press organization credential to gain admittance.

WHAT: Happy Hour For Hillary
WHEN: Monday, August 25, 2008
8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. MDT
WHERE: Paramount Café
519 16th Street
Denver, CO 80202

Update: Feel the pain.