State Dems seek unity after bruising nomination fight

State Democratic Party Chairman Joe Wineke isn't worried about hurt feelings tainting this weekend's Democratic Party of Wisconsin convention in Stevens Point.

"The end of an election is a little bit like a funeral," he said, referring to the finale of New York U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton's bid for the party's presidential nomination. Her opponent, Illinois U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, locked up the nomination last week.

"These things don't heal overnight, but the fact that it's done now in early June instead of late August is a good thing.

"I'm hoping Senator Clinton does the type of job it sounds like she's going to do (in her concession speech) on Saturday on party unity," Wineke said. "But I like to say that we have the greatest unifying force in the world right now, and that's George W. Bush."