Governor Dean,
Before I start, I want to say that, although I didn't support you in the Democratic primary back in 2004, I enthusiastically supported you for DNC Chair, and I was right to do so. You've transformed the party from a 50+1 into a true 50-state strategy. Despite the criticisms which have been made, it's very much possible that we wouldn't have taken back Congress without it (and, this is especially true of our takeover of the Senate).
You've said before that the Democratic party must reach out to places where Democrats have not played before, that is the essence of the 50-state strategy. I believe that this year is critical in determining whether or not Democrats truly embrace a 50-state strategy or where we repeat a 2000 and 2004 strategy of competing in only a handful of states. Barack Obama represents the 50-state strategy which you've advocated, governor. He has taken the position in which all states are important, while Hillary Clinton has adopted the insult 50 states strategy. Senator Clinton has shown time and time again that she isn't interested in expanding the party, while Senator Obama has not only embraced your strategy, his entire campaign embodies it. Poll after poll after poll has shown that Senator Obama can expand the map into places where the Democrats have only recently begun to make inroads (states like Virginia and Colorado) along with states where Democrats have never been competitive on the presidential level (Nebraska and North Dakota). Hillary Clinton does not believe that any of these states are significant, and so she will likely ignore them, stopping the party from growing in places where we can easily make a difference.
I want to let you know that, if Hillary Clinton uses the Superdelegates to overrule the will of the pledged delegates I will not contribute any money to the DNC or to Senator Clinton's campaign. I will work to elect Tom Udall to the Senate, and to elect Martin Heinrich to the House, and I will do everything I can in other local elections, but I will not do the same thing on the presidential level. Even though I know that as party chair, you have a responsibility to remain neutral so long as there is a competitive primary, but let's be honest, this race ended a long time ago. Now is the time for the party to unite behind Senator Obama and work on defeating John McBush.
As I said before, Governor, I believe you to be an honorable person who believes in principle. I believe that the 50-state strategy is the way of the future, but that will be in vain if Hillary Clinton becomes the Democratic nominee. I trust you to do the right thing.
Warmest regards,
Elliot