Web Letters: MoveOn Weighs Dem Endorsements

It's too late, baby, as Carole King used to sing, if an organization hoped to influence the candidate chosen, which of course, would require sticking one's neck out. The field has already been winnowed down to the desired front-runners of the corporations, long ago touted by a MSM who, by skewing the coverage, have achieved an air of Pravda-esque prescience.

There were other candidates who could arguably could in various ways, be called more progressive than either of those remaining, who had more experience, who stood up for the Constitution more, who had better ways to deal with Iraq and climate change. At this point MoveOn knows it will support anybody but a Republican, so what's the point?

Beth Wellington

Newport, VA

The 66 percent supermajority sounds like a way for the leadership of Moveon to pre-emptively avoid an endorsement. The likely concern is that the membership will push for an Obama endorsement, but the nomination will go to Hillary. And that would strain relations between Hillary and Moveon. It is this one-eye-over-their-shoulder-to-make-sure-the-DLC-doesn't-get-mad-at-them mentality that greatly reduces Moveon's effectiveness.

Steven Sherman
lefteyeonbooks.org

Carrboro, NC

If there was ever a time for MoveOn members and leadership to take a firm stand on the presidential election, this year is it! I for one hope they will amaze the conventional wisdom and come out solidly for Barack Obama, since in my view he embodies the politics of hope for the future and a strong break with the conventional, hyper-polarized past, clearly "Billary's" turf.

After seven years of myriad "torture" under the Bush Administration, and the depressing failed campaign of John Kerry in 2004, it is the historical moment for MoveOn to put its formidable power and "brand" behind at least one of these candidates. If my instincts are accurate, it will be Obama, but either way, it's time to step up to a presidential endorsement.

Stewart Braunstein

Deerfield Beach, FL

Moveon? Moveon? I've been to that site, and you won't find more dogmatically challenged zealots at one of those churches where they jump around holding rattlesnakes. Hell, those people would endorse SpongeBob if that pork-sopping labor abuser George Soros told them to.

As someone leaning toward Obama, I ask you to please use any influence you may have to get them to come out for Clinton.

Robert Stephens

Flagstaff , AZ

It is difficult to understand what MoveOn.org is attempting to accomplish by endorsing a candidate. If it claim, as Melber writes, to unite voters around "forward-looking politics that will end the war," then neither the Democratic nor the Republican frontrunner candidates have agreed to expedite an end to the war, or produced a believable and sincere plan to end the war on any timetable.

I rather suspect that MoveOn.org is looking for an excuse to endorse Bill and Hillary Clinton. The organization gots it start during the Clinton impeachment melodrama, and I believe that this core allegiance to the Clintons will rule the day one way or another.

But no endorsement, clearly, will have to do with ending any wars.

Seymour Friendly

Seattle, WA