To those who say they'll sit this one out

When I read the news on Salon about Obama’s choice of Joe Biden this morning, I raced through the story to get to the reader’s comments. To me, people’s reactions are the true story.

The comments were mostly positive, except for several bitter posts from those disappointed he didn’t choose Hillary. Most claimed they’ll sit out the election, or vote for McCain. The best arguments I can make for them to reconsider came from this letter, written by a woman named Jen:

Of course folks who campaigned for Hillary may be disappointed that she is not the VP candidate. Though, I can't see how this can come of a surprise. Moreover, as the Clinton campaign memos leaked to the Atlantic made embarrassingly clear, this was hers to loose. And she did, just like Gore in 2000.

I'm not thrilled with Obama or Biden. But to say you'd sit this one out means you've been living in a different country than I have in the past 8 years.

You haven't been living in a country that now is a torturer; or turned its back on its citizens in New Orleans, turning them into refugees; or expanded rampant deregulation that helped fuel the housing crisis that put cash in the pockets of speculators. You apparently aren't living in a country where food banks are running out of supplies and are turning hungry families away. Or killed hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians. Or trying to reduce the benefits available to returning veterans.

You are going to sit this one out and potentially allow McCain to be elected who will continue most of the misguided policies of his predecessor?

That's reprehensible.

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