I am a registered Democrat in New York. I have been a dedicated Democrat for the past 10 years. I am under 40 and am the future of this Party. I have volunteered and canvassed for several Democratic candidates over the last decade, and I vote. Even when the polls are not favorable towards my candidate, or when it's raining and snowing, or when my life is so busy I can barely keep up with it - I vote. And I encourage those I know to vote. And I always encourage them to vote Democratic.
That being said, I am concerned about the tenor of this election. Our party has a former, very popular President who is actively campaigning using the Karl Rove play book to lie and smear another Democratic candidate for President. Bill Clinton isn't running for office, and needs to stop campaigning as if he were. The Clintons are dividing this party, in the same way I fear they will further divide this nation should Hillary Clinton win the nomination. Based on her conduct over the past month, I will never vote for her. And I will encourage any and all who will listen to me, to do the same. Hillary Clinton and her husband, who I used to admire greatly, are resembling Republicans in the way they are conducting their political strategy. The "Swiftboating" that brought John Kerry's campaign down was disgusting, but when we lost that election, at least we knew as a Party that we lost because we held on to our values. I have always been proud that although we lost for two cycles to George Bush, we ran clean and decent campaigns. We finally have a serious contender for the nomination that is moral, full of ideas and hope, and APPEALS to a broad coalition of voters - not just dyed-in-the-wool Dems such as myself, and the last Democratic President to do the same is actively trying to destroy this man's character by LYING about him. Does this make any sense to you?
I am imploring you to send a message to the Clintons to stop this immoral and indecent behavior on the campaign trail. I'm also asking you to consider, when it's time to commit to a nominee, that we are standing at a tremendous precipice of history. Are we as a Party going to nominate an inspired and inspiring candidate - one that the press and people all over the country are comparing to JFK? Or are we going to be the Party that gives into someone who feels entitled to the office because she was married to the last Democrat who held the office - and possibly go down in history as the Party who couldn't get their candidate elected after 8 years of George W. Bush?
Our Democratic Party has always differentiated itself from the Republicans as the Party of the people. The Party that cares. The social policy Party. Are we going to join the Republicans in rewarding dirty politics? Winning through treachery? In forwarding this ridiculous Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton dynasty? What's next? Jeb Bush and then Chelsea Clinton? If the Democratic Party is interested in encouraging a third party to rise in this country, nominate Hillary Clinton. And we'll watch Mike Bloomberg enter the race, and have another Republican in office come Jan. 20, 2009.
We have the opportunity to change this Nation for the better. To restore our image around the world. The Democrats do. But not if the Clintons ruin it for all of us.
Feeling the same way? Send your response to the DNC here.
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