I wrote the following letter to Senator John McCain, asking him to threaten not to speak at the Republican Convention if Bush does not denounce the Swift Boat ads. I think everyone should write him. I'm having a lot of trouble understanding how he can continue to support Bush under the circumstances.
Here's my letter:
Dear Senator McCain,
I am a Democrat but have always respected you for standing up for and telling the truth regardless of party membership. I think I speak for many others in admiring you for that. I wanted you to run with John Kerry as his Vice President and I would have been proud to vote for you even though you and I disagree on many major issues.
However, the circumstances now --of your supporting GW Bush in the face of these scurrilous and fabricated ads by the "Swift-boat veterans," which are funded by and promoted by exactly the same people who slimed you in the 2000 election in South Carolina --make it difficult for me to continue to respect you. How can you support a man (Bush) who will do such a thing. I know that supposedly he has "nothing to do with it." But since the people behind it are major Bush friends, allies and campaign contributors from Texas, this makes it awfully hard to swallow.
I know you spoke up about it once, but you need to do so again. Allowing this to stand while you give speeches supporting the person who is behind it --is reprehensible. How can you let Bush use you and your reputation for straight shooting --in this way. There are some things that are more important than getting this man --who has put our country at risk, done away with our civil liberties and is trying to destroy our democracy --reelected!
I have a son in Iraq, He has two small children, one of whom is almost a year old and he's only seen her for a month of her life. He's just been transferred from Mosul to Najaf. He does not want Bush re-elected and neither do I. I can't take four more years of this man and his slimeball, dirty politics and punishing policies.
Please stand up for what is right. If you were to threaten to pull out of the Republican convention until Bush denounced this ad, he would denounce it. Yes, it would make you unpopular with some Republicans but not all.
It's a sad day when the only Republican I can respect is Pat Buchanan!
Please re-confirm my belief in you and your honesty and act on this.
Thank you for your attention.
