Clinton's Speech

McCain's Speech

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His email letter to Democratic Party PCOs follows below:

Dear Fellow Democrat,

I am writing you today to let you know that I will be supporting Sen.
Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

For the past many months, as a superdelegate, I have remained neutral
in this historic contest. As Chair of the Washington State Democratic
Party, it has been my job to represent all Democrats throughout
Washington state as we navigated our way through the delegate
selection process. It was of utmost importance to me that all
Democrats had confidence that the Party Chair and all the party staff
were working to ensure that grassroots Democrats statewide would
decide how many delegates each candidate would receive.

Beginning with our historic caucuses on February 9th, and at each step
throughout this process - Precinct, Legislative District, County, and
Congressional District - we were determining how many delegates would
be allocated to each Presidential candidate. Yesterday, that process
was completed with our Congressional District Caucuses - the final
opportunity for a candidate to gain or lose delegates based on
turnout. (The remaining delegates to be allocated in Spokane will be
apportioned in identical ratios as emerged from yesterday's caucuses.)

It is because we have essentially concluded the question of how many
of our state's delegates Obama and Clinton will receive in Denver that
I feel I can now announce my preference to be the Democratic
Presidential nominee.

I will be supporting Barack Obama for many reasons. Over the last few
years, I have gained a profound respect for Sen. Obama. I have read
his books, listened to his speeches, and watched the campaign he has
run on the grueling modern presidential playing-field for nearly two
years. And I have spoken with literally hundreds of friends and
colleagues - both in and out of politics - regarding their opinions
and observations of this man. And I have concluded that Barack Obama
is ready to be a great American President.

Barack Obama can win this election, and has clearly energized a
generation of voters that hunger for change, helping inspire a
critical voting block for Democrats for the future. He has also
inspired independent voters and even some Republicans who have never
considered voting Democratic.

I'm confident that between now and November, Americans will compare
the inspiring vision, strong values, and energy for change embodied by
Barack Obama with the tired old recycled ideas of Bush Republicanism
embodied by the militaristic and fiercely-conservative John McCain -
and they will vote to place Barack Obama in the White House.

Through this campaign, I have gained an enormous respect for Hillary
Clinton. This country and this party are unquestionably far stronger
for the contributions she's made throughout this campaign, and
throughout her long career in public service. I will be eternally
grateful for Sen. Clinton's appearance at our awards dinner last year,
as she was warmly welcomed by Washington State Democrats, and for the
time she has spent campaigning in Washington state. I have no doubt
that Sen. Clinton would be a tough, thoughtful, intelligent,
compassionate, and supremely-prepared President of the United States.

At this point in time, however, I feel the voters have spoken, that
Sen. Obama will be our nominee, and that is time for us as Democrats
to begin the final stretch of this historic 2008 campaign to take back
America. It is time to unify our party around one candidate.

I thank the thousands of people who have contacted me asking me to
support their candidate; and I profoundly acknowledge the supporters
of Sen. Clinton who may be disappointed by my decision.

I am honored to serve as Chair of your Washington State Democratic Party.

Sincerely,

Dwight Pelz