ee cummings and HillaryandBarack and DeFazio

ee cummings knew how to play with words, with love. He wrote often about the number one, and once said that one is not half two but that two is half one. It is in that spirit, not of love but of believing that two is half one, that I say Barack and Hillary are half one, are half of the one Democratic Party. If there is no love lost between those two, can the number one - all of us who desperately want to defeat McCain in 2008 - be found?

I say yes. Congressman Pete DeFazio (D-OR) wrote to both Senators Clinton and Obama the following ONE letter:

Dear Senator Clinton and Senator Obama:

I write today as a concerned member of the Democratic Party and an uncommitted super delegate.

I appreciated the manner in which you both conducted your campaigns during the early primary process. It was a manner that respected the other and tried to highlight policy differences without resorting to destructive smear campaigns.

In the lead up to the March 4th primaries, the tone of both campaigns shifted and the civility that I had appreciated disappeared. The long-term goal of beating the Republican nominee took a back seat to the short term goal of proving one's viability by tearing down the other Democratic candidate. We lost sight of the general election, we lost sight of the true opponent and if we continue to be shortsighted, I fear we will lose in November.

The heated rhetoric between both campaigns has continued to intensify as we head into the Pennsylvania primary. While you trade barbs, McCain is uniting the Republican Party around his thinly disguised right wing agenda. In the next six weeks, McCain can sit back, amass his war chest, concentrate his base and delight as you deconstruct each other.

I propose that you not allow him that luxury. You both claim to be better suited than the other to take on the so-called Straight-Talk Express, so prove it. Run the next six weeks of your campaign against McCain, not against the other Democrat. Go after McCain for his policy positions, not the other Democrat for theirs.

Allow the Democratic voters to believe in a campaign that can provide a new direction for this country and stop McCain from continuing the failed policies of the Bush Administration. In the end, it is the candidate who can take the fight to McCain and win that deserves my support and, most importantly, the support of the Democratic Party.

Both of your campaigns have been built on the fundamental idea that if elected, you will bring about change. Let's change the way we are doing business in this primary election.

In the last few months, you have been running for the Democratic nomination. In the next six weeks, I urge you start running for President.

Sincerely,
PETER A. DEFAZIO
Member of Congress

Comments

[Thurber]

That would be fantastic but micro-trend, micro-vision, Mark Penn would never allow it,.