Hi John,
This is not one of those letters. I've met Elizabeth and know that even though she is shorter than me, she'd easily kick my butt. Although, in truth, it's not one of those letters because I honestly am a total fan girl of your wife and there's nothing more than I would love than to see her face plastered everywhere as First Lady.
This is a letter that I've been mulling for some time because you've truly exceeded my expectations.
When I was ready to throw my support to you, the blogger fiasco happened and I was taken aback by the way it was all handled. I know, I know. There are no perfect candidates. Yet at that time I wasn't clear as to what you were bringing at the table as a presidential candidate.
Then you started talking about poverty and the state of the "real people's" economy. You evangelized about the two Americas. You demonstrated how there is a tremendous economic and political disconnect in this country. How what you've seen and talked with people in all your travels seems not to affect the people who are supposed to represent them in Washington. You talked about the evil of corporate handouts and the shadow rule by lobbyist.
You are talking about everything that nobody wants to talk about in Washington [1].
Whenever I think about you, the song "Torn between two lovers" pops into my head. In this primary mess, my heart has been split between your economic policy talks and Obama's new politics movement.
It's been incredibly hard for me to decide for whom I will be voting. I honestly wish we could have run off elections, so that I could pick my top three candidates.
Why?
The irony is that the white man in this primary is truly the outsider. Who would have thought I'd live to see that day.
You represent not just the other "white America", but you're speaking for an America that a lot of people live. You represent the people who like my husband and his family, were never given a free pass just for the color of their skin. The people who like everybody else, regardless of race but not of class, have had to hustle for what they have.
If there is one difference between you and Obama is that you know what working class poverty is, what middle class hustle is, what getting rich by the sweat of your brow looks like. You weren't the son of a professor or a rich businessman. You didn't waltz your way into Harvard or into an internship for Nixon. You had to bootstrap your way to success just like millions of other Americans. That's what in the end sets you apart.
And so it is the reason why I write this letter.
I want you to stay in the race until the end.
I want you to get as many delegates as you can.
I want you to go into the convention as the guy who will make a difference [2].
King maker? I hate that term.
Yet having you in Colorado as the party's main ball buster would just be awesomely sweet. Because, when it comes down to it, you could be the guy to decide in which direction the Democratic Party is going to go. You could be the guy to decide if the dynastic status quo of the Clintons wins of if the sea change behind Obama becomes a true progressive movement.
You could be the real deal breaker [3]. Something that the political elite Just. Does. Not. Like.
So I am throwing my support to you the one way I can. If this is a marathon, I'll be there on the sidelines with a cup of water. And yes, expect a campaign contribution to come your way.
Keep giving them hell.
Yours truly,
liza
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