Dear Friends and Family,
I am writing to urge you to vote for Barack Obama on Feb 5, Super Tuesday. The time for change in the way America does business is here and critical.
Obama is the only candidate capable of restoring credibility and respect for the United States in the Middle East and abroad. His formative years were spent in Indonesia, Africa, Hawaii as well as the US mainland, making him uniquely experienced and knowledgeable of culturally diverse world we live in.
The pernicious Clinton Campaign has done a pretty god job of dismissing Obama as a "young and eloquent speaker," a condescending pat on the head if ever there was one. Here are the facts:
- Young: he is 46 years old; three years older than JFK was when elected
- Experience: He actually has more public service experience than JFK did. Obama walked away from a $500,000 annual private law firm salary early in his career to dedicate himself to making life better for others. He has a very successful track record as a civil rights attorney, and coalition building across radically polar perspectives. (Being effective in Chicago politics is no cake walk).
- He has a brilliant mind. A Harvard Law School Graduate and voted by his peers the President of the Harvard Law Review. That is no affirmative action recognition. That means that he was "the best of the best of the best."
- Bush Sr./Clinton/Bush Jr./Clinton = 32 years of the same old stuff. That's not a democracy, that's an oligarchy.
I am taking a stand this day for Obama because I am appalled at the Clinton's behavior these last couple of weeks. Ironically, I was a Hilary supporter, who bought the lie that Obama was too young (they made him sound like he was barely 35). As I have watched the race baiting that has occurred in the Clinton camp I am aware of the subtext the Clinton's are spinning. Let's get clear about the facts --They played the race card first.
Hillary started by downplaying Martin Luther King's efforts and promoting Lyndon Johnson as the person who really delivered the Civil Rights Act. What she was trying to do, perhaps, was say "grassroots efforts can only go so far; you need someone in power, on the inside who can guarantee the policies and laws will happen." Not a good example. Her statement demonstrated an insensitivity to the high regard in which African Americans hold MLKing and the fact that before coming the White House Johnson had a known history of racist behavior and policies in his home state of Texas. (Remember Texas? Highest number of capital punishment, lowest education scores).
As I said, I have been a Hillary supporter for years but watching her continue to suggest that she can take care of black people better than a black candidate can makes me squirm. It's dangerously close to plantation politics. I was glued to CNN and MSNBC this Saturday all day and night watching coverage of the South Carolina primary. The Clintons have continued to snipe at Obama in the most mean spirited, smarmy ways. One example: Hillary patted Congressman Charles Rangel (a 76 year old black man) on the knee and referred to him as someone who "earned his position...he didn't leap frog over others to get to where he is..."
The Clintons keep bringing up how many black people support them, they keep pushing their black supporters forward for the photo ops. When Oprah came out for Obama, 3 days later Hilary announced Magic Johnson's support. (And we all know what a bright, political leader he is, right? Not!) And all the while the Obamas continue to be elegant and build a truly rainbow coalition of support based on the quality of his mind and character and a shared vision for a better future for all Americans.
Bill and Hillary are smart folks, for sure. But America needs more than just smart: we need leadership with grace, integrity, innovation -- qualities the Clintons have consistently demonstrated a shortage of. By the way, Hillary never did deliver on her promise for health care for all Americans and Rwanda occurred on Bill Clinton's watch and he did nothing about it.
Eight years ago I begged Ralph Nader for President supporters to back Al Gore. I implored the Nader voters that now was not the time to vote cute or smug, to make a point by voting for a candidate that couldn't possibly win. History has proven me right. Nader took much needed votes from Gore and Bush stole the difference.
It would be great to have a woman president but Hillary is not the woman AND there is no way she can beat a Republican candidate.I urge you now to please vote for Obama on Super Tuesday. America does not have four or eight more years to risk on business as usual (Republicans).
One love,
Dawn Renee
PS: Please go to the Obama website for more facts on where this bright candidate stands on the issues. please promote Obama's presidency with your friends and vote for Obama on Super Tuesday, Feb 5.
