I want to thank you for recently
endorsing Senator Feingold's
call from last August for U.S. troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by year's end. That you would stand with Feingold, when so many in our party are afraid to, speaks volumes about your character.
Unfortunately, Senator -- and I'd like to heap nothing but praise upon you for taking this strong, clear position -- but, unfortuntately, you had your chance to stand up and lead this country. It began on January 27, 2004 and ended November 2 of that same year. This was your chance to shine. To show the party and the American people that you were the man to lead us. You are and always will be a great Senator and, as a former presidential nominee, you are granted party elder status and the bully pulpit that accompanies it. You would have made a great president. Your penchant for pragmatic, in-depth policy-making would have enabled you to deftly lead us through these uneasy times. Hey, if you'd won, we may even have withdrawn from Iraq by now.
Your endorsement of Senator Feingold's position is both admirable and commendable. What troubles me though, Senator, is how you've repackaged his proposal as your own. How you've made the three minimum changes to skirt copyright laws and, it seems with wetted finger to the wind, sensed that a critical mass of public support has turned against the war. It's a though your new position is simply a ploy to gain support for another run at the White House.
Use your bully pulpit wisely, Senator. Use it to back a new party leader who has shown he has the strength and vision to lead this party and our country. I'm not asking you to endorse Senator Feingold's yet unannounced presidential run. I am asking that you give him credit where credit is due and tell the country you are signing on to his proposal.