Scituate, MA 02066
6 March 2008
Obama for America
P.O. Box 8102
Chicago, IL 60680
Dear Senator Obama,
I am one of many who support your candidacy for the President of the United States with money and time. There is an urgent need for you to address in a better way the most fundamental reason why you, rather than either Senators Clinton or McCain, should become the next President. It is not that you have not stated your unique qualifications for President, but you have to do it more clearly and more often. I offer my perspective as though I were one of your speech writers.
Senator Clinton and I have been involved in a highly contested campaign to become the Democratic nominee for President of the United States. If she is surprised that this contest did not end on February 5, I can report my surprise that I am ahead in the count for pledged delegates as of 6 March! Even though I was confident, no one predicted my success! And yet, now that it becomes clear that I will end up with more pledged delegates, efforts are under discussion to develop a strategy to ensure that the people’s vote will be overruled by the Super Delegates.
Let me say quickly that Senator Clinton has all the prerequisites to be the next President. Let me also say that our policies are not significantly different. Why would a voter select one rather than another?
Senator Clinton repeatedly attacks me on the basis of the lack prior experience that would ensure my ability to assume the role of Commander in Chief. The ads were apparently successful, in spite of the fact that it is hard to know what are the specific experiences she has had to prepare her any better than I. Visiting other nations and meeting their leaders does not constitute the type of experiences that would prepare someone for the role of Commander in Chief. Secondly, if experience is determined to be the basis for selecting the next President, then Senator McCain will clearly win! Neither Senator Clinton nor I have had anywhere near as much experience in foreign and military affairs as Senator McCain.
Experience is not a sufficient basis for selecting a person for the next President. While I have more than enough experience to become President, I could argue that there is no historical basis for concluding that experience and success in leadership are correlated. Too many with experience have been colossal failures; so often those without a long history of experience become great leaders.
However, the ultimate reason why a voter would select me as the next President is based on a set of qualities that are different than those noted in Senators Clinton or McCain. I want to bring a whole new approach to the role of the President that will restore hope within our own peoples and respect throughout the world. It sounds audacious, but anything less will not suffice.
My campaign is built on the premise that partisan politics has become so divisive that it has eroded the effectiveness of the government. Without denying basic differences between the philosophies of the Democratic and Republican parties, our history has demonstrated an ability to bridge these differences in order to bring successful policies to life. My candidacy is premised on my ability to do just that. Being a fighter, as claimed so often by Senator Clinton, is part of the reason for our partisan politics. Everyone fights for what they feel is correct, regardless of the effects on our nation and the world. Second, except for our national defense, there is no place for unilateral international intervention. The world’s problems are multinational and global in nature. Success will only be had if we join others in confronting those problems for the well-being of all.
I would come to Day One with an agenda to address our domestic needs, many though they are, but I would work to ensure that our two parties get a fair hearing and my support in their working together to develop programs that can be implemented as quickly as possible. I would meet with leaders of other nations, without conditions but with a prepared agenda, to ensure their awareness that the United States will partner with any and all nations in coming to terms with global issues effecting security, economy, and environment that will improve the human rights and living conditions of all peoples.
And for all of this to happen, my campaign is built on creating coalitions of voters that will be the ground out of which these many problems will be addressed. For, unless enough people want me as their President, enough people who are Democrats, Independents, Republicans, young, old, working or unemployed, … unless enough people vote for me to demonstrate to the Congress and powers of lobbyists that there is a new day with a new leader for a new chapter in our history, then my efforts will not be successful. I will only as successful as I can be if enough people want me to serve them as their President.
I cannot compete with Senators Clinton or McCain based on experience in the old politics and partisanship. In fact, I have not desire to gain such experience. I think that there are many in our country w
ho know that the old way has not worked for them. There may be some who are afraid to try to a new way even if the old way did not help them. Without promising that all problems will be resolved easily or quickly, I can ensure you that continuing the old way offers little hope for change. I represent another way to start again so that we can become one people who care for all.
Sincerely,
Edward J. Toomey
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