Letters to the Editor
vadem165
Published Letters: 11 Editor's Choice: 1
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Fair enfranchisement
[Read the article: A supersize controversy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Most commenters on this thread seem to want to disenfranchise Michigan and Florida. This is fundamentally unfair with the potential for political fallout. Imagine the Republicans telling voters of those two states, "Democrats don't believe in counting your votes." Especially after the "count every vote" mantra in Florida in 2000 this will look hypocritical. Rules such as the ones not seating MI and FL delegates made by the DNC are provisional subject to ratification of the convention. Party rules also say the convention can override the DNC. It is not the fault of the voters in those states that their leadership bucked the rules and they should not be punished. Why all the threats to leave the party if the procedural issues don't go your way? Party membership is about philosophy and and public policy, not internal procedures. Are you all of sudden going to agree more with McCain on the issues? Enough of the Clintons will do anything to win line. They are skilled politicians, which is why Bill is the only successful Democratic nominee in the past two decades.
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Clinton has the experience and cache.
[Read the article: A new face for American diplomacy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]While granted he's not the most objective source, I believe President Clinton when he has said at rallies for his wife that world leaders have told him our prestige would rise overnight if she were elected. Her eight years as a substantive First Lady is a key reason I support her and this is an example of why. The world already knows her and she knows a lot of the leaders already. I agree with some of the symbolic points regarding Obama, but I'm not sure he's quite ready yet in terms of practical diplomacy. Of course if he gets the VP slot, which I would love, he can be sent on missions suited to him. As for the alleged Muslim ties, he does have more than a lot of us, but I hope that if he is the nominee for either slot, all people of goodwill will shoot down the innuendo regarding his religious background, regardless of whom they support.
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But her words are probably true
[Read the article: Geraldine Ferraro still needs to apologize]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This is not to say that Senator Obama does not have qualities to recommend him. However, in the southern primaries many African-Americans voted for one of their own. There is nothing wrong with this, but had there not been a black man on the ballot I'm certain HRC would have gotten an overwhelming African-American vote based on the fond memories they have of the Clintons in the White House the first time. Yes, Obama won states that were mostly white, but those are also relatively small states. Strictly from a numbers standpoint HRC would almost certainly be the presumptive nominee by now without Obama to take the black vote from her.
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United Church of Christ
[Read the article: The crazy uncles in Obama's attic]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I was not quite sure whether the "anti-American cult" designation for the United Church of Christ was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but I certainly hope so. A couple of other things that must be made clear. There is no doctrinal discipline in the UCC as there is in hierarchical churches like Roman Catholicism. It should not be assumed that Rev. Wright speaks for the UCC or that the UCC approves his words. Also "Trinity United" is not a logical short form of the church's name. "United" is attached to United Church of Christ, not to Trinity. An appropriate short form would be "Trinity UCC". Anybody who is interested in learning more about the denomination should visit www.ucc.org.
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It IS still a horserace
[Read the article: Politico: "Clinton has virtually no chance of winning"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As long as neither candidate has clinched the magic number of delegate votes needed to win the race is technically too close to call. I must say I greatly respect Huckabee for staying in the GOP race despite long odds until McCain actually clinched the nomination. Both candidates need superdelegate help and superdelegates are free to vote however they darn well please. With revotes less likely I can't justify not seating MI and FL at all, though they could go 50% like the GOP and thus save face on the rule enforcement side. Let's just let this play out and for once let the convention do what it is supposed to do and pick a candidate. Ideally, both of them will be on the ticket as running mates and either order is acceptable to me. Democrats cannot afford to sulk if they don't get their way as the outcome in November would be disastrous.
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There are whiners on both sides.
[Read the article: Hillary's team crosses the line]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Neither Clinton nor Obama has done anything remotely rivaling the tactics of the Atwater-Rove school of playing dirty that we always get on the Republican side. Both sides have had supporters say things that are less than couth. Both sides have fought hard for the nomination, to which I say good for them! Overwhelming majorities of Democrats do not want either candidate to fold. So HRC plays a little hardball - so what? Right now according to www.electoral-vote.com she holds out better against McCain too. The Clinton years were the best years we have had as a country in a long time. Sure he triangulated, but he also WON twice. Doesn't that count for anything in our party? Speaking at least for myself if I am tempted to say Obama's done it too what I really mean is many of his zealot supporters like some of the posters on this thread can't even pretend to respect Clinton. That is what bothers me the most. I still want a ticket with both of them, but I don't want it decided until convention.
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North Carolina
[Read the article: Why John Edwards hasn't endorsed Obama]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I think I saw just one passing reference to Edwards' home state in this thread. Any chance he is waiting to spring his endorsement just before the NC primary?