I have been a loyal Democrat for many years. I am an educated woman who has believed in the tenets of the Democratic Party, until now. I am sad to say that during this election, in my opinion, the DNC and the leaders of the Democratic Party have veered away from their central mission and abandoned their principle voter coalition. I have been horrified at the silent support of the outright viciousness towards Senator Clinton in the form of gross distortions of her positions and policies and outright sexism. Furthermore, I have been party to those speaking on behalf of the DNC in the media inviting many of us who have been staunch Democrats to leave the party if we do not agree with the manner of politics being employed currently. We have been told that we are not needed to win the election, or that we will “get over it” and rejoin the new movement. The DNC has tried time and time again, through its spokespeople, to force Senator Clinton out of the race and disregard the democratic process as well as the Constitutional right of giving every citizen their legal and moral vote. In addition, the DNC has decided to punish and disenfranchise approximately 2 million voters in FL and MI, for a decision that was not made by them to move their primary elections. This decision was commandeered by the Republican and/or legislative factions in their states. There have been many other instances throughout this campaign during which the vetting process has been unbalanced and biased in favor of Senator Obama and throughout which the DNC or the party leaders, such as yourself, did nothing to restore the balance. I simply do not understand these tactics–they are destructive to our country and insulting to its citizens. I am very sorry to say, that based upon this type of conduct I can no longer remain a member of the Democratic Party. This saddens me, but in all good conscience, I must change my party affiliation. I sincerely hope that some of these major problems can be resolved.

I stand by Senator Hillary Clinton and I am disappointed that you and your colleagues will not stand by her to the convention. I would like to tell you why I stand by her. In my opinion, one can judge the character and competence of a candidate by carefully examining their record, their life, and their current platform and policies. This is concrete evidence that can directly translate into what kind of President we will have after the election. In addition, the way in which a candidate reveals their humanity, character, compassion, courage and commitment can be assessed as we watch them navigate the treacherous waters of the campaign. On the first point, Senator Clinton has demonstrated without question a life of public service. She has dedicated her life to advocating for
children, standing up for women’s rights and human rights, supporting
invisible minorities, fighting for healthcare and education, and assuring honorable treatment of our military men and women. In addition she has proven her ability to work open mindedly and successfully in a bi-partisan culture where she has passed significant legislation during her tenure in the senate. Senator Clinton also possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of all domestic and international issues. She understands the economy here at home, and has also established herself as an international ambassador and diplomat. She clearly understands the complex and multi-dimensional issues that face our country in the global community and she has a command of the issues that contribute to the delicate balance in regions such as the Middle East. Her service on the Senate Armed Services Committee, her invitation to join the Pentagon Iraq Transformation Task Force, and her support by 35 distinguished and accomplished retired high ranking military personnel speak to her unparalleled preparation to assume the role of Commander-In-Chief.

These are only some of Senator Clinton’s accomplishments which attest to an impressive resume–a resume that is unequivocally one of the most distinguished of any presidential candidate. But her qualifications for president go beyond accomplishments. Senator Clinton has an indomitable spirit, an unquestionable love of country, unwavering courage and commitment to her mission, and a compassionate humanity. In the past months, I have grown to admire her more every day and to be inspired by her every day. Her ability to remain strong, clear and focused even when facing daunting challenges and adversaries has given me hope and courage. Her ability to be gracious and dignified in the face of unspeakable attacks is a shining example of how to maintain one’s belief and commitment under fire. Her amazing capacity to meet, speak to, and respect her enemies without bitterness or vitriol is brilliant and not only shows us how to conduct ourselves in everyday life, but also demonstrates how she would form allies in the world. She also knows when to compromise and when to hold fast to her principles and those of our country. She has an amazing capacity to be strong, courageous and compassionate. To me, these are the qualities that make a leader–a leader not only knows how to attend to the nuts and bolts of the job, but also knows how to connect with people and inspire them to be better people. In this arena, I find Senator Clinton far more inspiring than Senator Obama.

I fear for the Democratic Party and for our country because of the way in which this campaign was conducted, and therefore, I will not, under any circumstances vote for Senator Obama who is too inexperienced and ill-prepared for the job.