DNC “Leaders” Demand Unconditional, Unquestioning Support of Obama

Original Link: http://donedems.com/2008/07/20/dnc-leaders-demand-unconditional-unquestioning-support-of-obama/

Just when we thought the attempts at voter intimidation and suppression had reached a crescendo, Don Fowler and Alice Gerond, of the DNC decide to turn up the volume of the “get over it and get in line” chorus. Talking Points Memo has the letter in full:

Dear Democratic Friends:2008 is a Democratic year-at all levels in all the states. The opportunity is ours. We just have to seize it.

We experienced an exciting, intense, sometimes difficult, campaign to nominate our presidential candidate. Now it’s over. Barack Obama won.

I supported Hillary Clinton and am proud and pleased that I did. But she lost. Barack Obama won. It’s over.

It is time for all Democrats, supporters of Senator Clinton and all other contenders for the nomination, to stand with him to secure his election and the election of Democrats at all levels of competition.

I must confess a bit of fatigue and irritation with people who continue to carp, complain, and criticize the results of the primary and lay down conditions for their support. The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t establish conditions to recognize the Boston Celtics as NBA Champions; Roger Federer did not demand concessions before recognizing that Rafael Nadal defeated him at Wimbledon.

It is time to act in a mature and resourceful fashion. It’s time to put the primaries behind us. It’s time to support Barack Obama without conditions or demands.

It’s time to WIN for Barack Obama, the Democratic Party, America, and our future. We have an unparalleled opportunity. I hope we will all do everything we can to seize the moment.

See you at the Inauguration.

Sincerely,

Don Fowler
DNC Member At-Large, South Carolina
Former Chair of the Democratic National Committee

Alice Germond
Secretary, Democratic National Committee

These types of letters and statements are so counterproductive, one is almost lead to believe that they are secret PUMAs, attempting to stir the pot. But just in case, Don and Alice are serious, I’ll address this claim by claim.

Yes, it is a Democratic year, and the election of a Democrat President should not be a problem. It should mean something to you and your superdelegate friends that Senator Obama is barely beating Senator McCain in recent polls, whereas Senator Clinton is having no problem soundly defeating McCain in current polls. The opportunity is ours, and we are trying to seize it by nominating the stronger candidate; Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Should she not be nominated, the Democrats will have lost their golden opportunity and handed the White House to the Republicans for four more years. Call us clairvoyant, but we do not believe Senator Obama can win with or without our support (maybe we have a little clue, considering it will be a lot more difficult without our support ;).

As for it being “over” and Senator Obama having “won,” you all should know better than anyone that that is simply not the case (or have you not read the rules?). Neither Senator Clinton nor Senator Obama have the necessary 50%+1 pledged delegate count needed to secure the nomination. Superdelegates do not vote until the Convention and some are even switching their support from Obama to Hillary. Simply put, the delegate count is 0-0 until the first ballot at the Convention. No one, much less Senator Obama, who was the beneficiary of illegitimate and undemocratic allocation of delegates throughout the primary season and especially at the RBC meeting, has enough delegates to secure the nomination.

In regards to down-ticket Democrats, we are in agreement. We will stand with those Democrats who have earned our support. We also share your “fatigue and irritation.” We are tired of the DNC and the Democrat establishment ignoring the base and working class voters. We are tired of the Party nominating out of touch, elitist, unelectable and now unqualified candidates whom we must hold our noses to vote for. We are even more irritated that Senator Obama is not a true Democrat, shunning campaign finance reform by opting out of public financing, violating the Constitution with his FISA vote, channeling Scalia and Thomas on abortion, suddenly embracing NAFTA, signaling a reversal of his troop withdrawal position, etc. But most of all, condescending letters, such as yours, that contain incongruous analogies and disregard our legitimate qualms fatigue and irritate us the most.

Lastly, just in case you haven’t noticed, (which we’re sure you have, considering your letter) we are resourceful, having compiled more than 200 supporting groups and initiated protests and grassroots organization to express our concerns and voice our intention to Just Say No Deal to the illegitimate and presumptuous nominee. Further, to ask anyone to support a candidate “without conditions or demands” is a large step toward tyranny and is an inappropriate suggestion, much less demand, coming from high level members of the Democratic(?) National Committee. We should not be asked to blindly follow or support any individual. Senator Obama is not “Dear Leader,” a dictator, nor automatically worthy or deserving of our votes. We own our votes, and no candidate is entitled to them.

Should the DNC and the “leaders” of the Democrat Party foist the illegitimate and unelectable selectee upon us at the Convention, it will be anything but over. It will just be the beginning, and it will be a long time until November.

See you at the Convention.