A BuzzFlash Reader Contribution

CONTRIBUTOR ARCHIVES  

Open Letter to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Mary MacElveen

To Senator Clinton,

Just this past week former First Lady Barbara Bush stated this in an AP article, "Hillary Rodham Clinton will be the Democratic candidate for president in 2008."  As a Democratic committee member of this party, my mind is not made up yet as to whom I would support as our nominee, but what I am looking for in a candidate is someone who is truly willing to lead us and not lead from the center.  In my opinion leading from the center shows you do not have a clear vision of where you want to take this country.  To me, leading from the center is akin to sitting on the fence not sure of what side you wish to firmly plant your feet.  Where you want to please everyone yet while trying to do that you lead no one.  There is much to learn from that age old saying, "You cannot please everyone."  Just so you know, I am a liberal Democrat who feels that my voice and the voice of other liberals has not been represented in Washington, D.C. by any elected leader with the exception of my congressman Timothy Bishop. 

Your husband former President Clinton once said, "America would rather have a leader that is strong and wrong than one that is weak and right" and I believe that saying as I see President Bush lead us down the road to Hades.  Most Americans are blind to where he is taking us, all they see is he stands his ground and does not waver and after September 11th, Americans craved that as they stood stunned in terror.

As I was reading an article "Make Iraq Topic #1" which was written by Arianna Huffington the following quote popped out at me where you stated this in regards to Iraq, "You know, I am not one who feels comfortable setting exit strategies. We don't know what we're exiting from. We don't know what the situation is moving toward.... How do we know where we're headed, when we don't know where we are?" As men and women continue to die in service to their country, that quote made by you to Judy Woodruff does not show leadership. What I am looking for is a leader who cuts through the bull, leads from left and says, but more importantly makes the case to the American people, that enough is enough.  But, the quote above made by you does not show me that kind of leadership.  If America can be led by a leader from the right where he has consistently told lies, they can be led by a leader from the left who is willing to tell the truth to all of us and he/she can do so and feel comfortable about it.

Two weeks ago, I sat in awe as I listened to George Galloway who is a member of the British Parliament who was called to testify in front of the senate subcommittee looking into the oil for food scandal and this is what he said, "Senator, in everything I said about Iraq, I turned out to be right and you turned out to be wrong and 100,000 people paid with their lives; 1600 of them American soldiers sent to their deaths on a pack of lies; 15,000 of them wounded, many of them disabled forever on a pack of lies." THAT'S THE TYPE OF LEADER I THIRST FOR, Senator Clinton.  I will fax you his complete testimony since I cannot find it on the senate web site where it should be there since what he said must be made public knowledge.  We have a right to know what was done in our name and what lies were told to us and the world community.

In closing, Senator Clinton, I was about ready to throw in the towel, but through a pastor's words, he told me "Never give up, never give up," and he prayed for all political workers. The liberal voice must be heard within our party.  So, last night at a town convention for our Democratic committee, I passed around George Galloway's testimony to some in the media, as well as other committee members, along with pictures of dead and injured Iraqi children.  We need a leader who will bring this war to an end and where our men and women are brought back home.  There has been so much death and destruction over in Iraq and Afghanistan and all done on a "pack of lies.” If Pres. Bush can lead from the right and tell lies, are you willing to lead from the left and tell the American people the God's honest truth?

Sincerely,

Mrs. Mary MacElveen
Sound Beach, NY
Committee Member for the Suffolk County, NY, and the Town of Brookhaven, NY, Democratic Committees

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION