Advertise - Print Edition


Brandeis University's Community Newspaper — Waltham, Mass.

Book of Matthew: A letter to all Clinton supporters

Published: April 18, 2008
Section: Opinions



Dear Supporters of Senator Hillary Clinton,

As many of you know, your candidate has a very slim chance of being nominated. I am not trying to be harsh; I am merely stating a fact. She will find it quite difficult to persuade superdelegates to support her as long as she is behind in the popular vote and the delegate count, and she will remain behind in these counts unless she pulls off some truly spectacular primary wins. This is unlikely.

I understand that it is not easy to watch your favorite candidate lose an election that she was once so heavily favored to win. It must be especially difficult, given how long and bitter this primary season has been. But regardless, I believe it is time to move on.

Most of you are either Democrats or Independents, and many of you have accepted, and even celebrated, the fact that Obama is the likely Democratic nominee. I am glad to hear this, as the unification of the Democratic Party is something that I consider to be vital to a victory in November. But there are some of you who, for one reason or another, have decided that if Hillary cannot be your nominee, you will back McCain instead. This I must admit I find intriguing.

Now don’t get me wrong. You all have the right to vote for whomever you want. But let’s take a moment and think about what McCain stands for. He supports a continued war in Iraq. He supports cutting taxes for the rich. He believes healthcare is a privilege, not a right, and will do very little to fix our broken healthcare system. He offers everything George W. Bush offered, albeit in a more articulate manner.

Yes, I said it. The media may have forgotten to tell you this, but McCain is not independent maverick. He is a conservative Republican and he can’t deny it any longer.

Hillary Clinton’s platform, on the other hand, is almost a complete opposite of McCain’s. She promises to repeal the Bush tax cuts, end the war in Iraq, and establish universal healthcare. Regardless of the media’s attempts to make her seem more conservative, she is, in fact, one of the most liberal members of the Senate.

As a Clinton supporter, I think it’s safe to assume that you are in favor of the majority of these plans (if not, then your support for her is beyond me). So, I figured those of you who plan to vote for McCain aren’t thinking about the issues. This leaves three reasons:

1. They have a lot of experience: Both McCain and Clinton have years of experience, true, and it is possible that you feel this is the most important qualification for a president. If so, all I have to say is pick up a history book. Read about the inexperienced presidents that turned out okay. Read about the experienced ones that turned out terrible. See a pattern? No, you don’t. There is no correlation between experienced men and good presidencies. It takes more than that.

2. McCain is old. If he wins, he might not run in four years, and Hillary will have her chance: Take a look around you. The economy is failing. Our military is falling to pieces. People all over the world hate the USA. Do you really think we can afford four more years of this? We need a Democrat now.

3. I just really hate Obama: Certainly possible after this primary. But I’m willing to bet that you hate Bush too. And knowing that, I’m sure you’ll hate McCain. Pick the lesser of two evils.

As Hillary Clinton said during her “crying” episode in New Hampshire, “Some people think elections are a game. They think it’s like who’s up or who’s down. It’s about our country.” She is absolutely right. So for the sake of our country, I ask you to put aside the bitterness that this campaign has fostered, and remember why you supported Hillary Clinton in the first place. I don’t think it will be long before you discover that John McCain does not deserve your vote.