Politics | Democratic Party Hillary Defeat Would Shake Up Democrats Divisive changing of guard looms if Clintons lose grip on party By Kevin Spak Posted May 8, 2008 1:22 PM CDT Copied Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., speaks at a fundraiser in Washington Wednesday, May 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) With Barack Obama headed toward the Democratic nomination, the Clintons' long reign over the party looks likely to end, the New York Times reports. That could lead to a bold new era—or a divided party that Obama can’t reconcile. “It’s going to create an upheaval,” said one Democratic organizer. “The Clintons and their allies have been running the show for 16 years.” Since Obama’s campaign is based around a rejection of Clintonian political tactics, Clinton loyalists would have little place in an Obama administration. But first he’d need to unite a bitterly divided base. But split as it might be there's hope, says ex-candidate Gary Hart, "These people are not going to vote for John McCain—I don’t care what they say now,” Read These Next She was born at a McDonald's, so obviously this is her nickname. Two Powerball players have a lot of financial planning to do. A photo could link a body to a Lebanese cleric missing for decades. Repeated concussions left Welsh legend Alix Popham with CTE. Report an error