I received e-mail from a dear friend (John), another Obama supporter like me, where he forwards an e-mail from another friend (Bryan) whose political thinking he has respected for a long time. In that forwarded e-mail, Bryan explains his switch from supporting Obama to Clinton. John does not agree with Bryan, but felt compelled to share his rationale with his e-mail list, out of a sense of fairness and open-mindedness.
With the same interest, I want to share the letter with this audience, to foster discussion of the points he brings up. Personally, I do see some of Bryan's points as valid, but I remain convinced that a Clinton nomination would lead to defeat in November, not just for the top of the ticket, but also for many down-ticket races across the country, and will cause a serious rift within the Democratic party for a long time. I can see African-Americans and young voters disgusted; progressives repulsed.
I note that Bryan's endorsement of Hillary is at best begrudging. It is a sad commentary on where this brutal primary season has taken many of us. I hope that most of us, regardless of which candidate we back, does not have that pessimistic attitude by the time the real campaign begins. We cannot afford to be nonchalant in the prospect of a McCain win.
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