Bill DiBenedetto, Henderson

Wed, May 14, 2008 (2:02 a.m.)

I find it admirable that Brian Greenspun would stand by his friends the Clintons during this election. Sen. Hillary Clinton is an outstanding American, and Mr. Greenspun’s “Where I Stand” column Sunday was a testament to their friendship.

Let me first welcome Mr. Green-spun to the Democratic Party. As a party member since 1982, I need to get him up to speed in less than 250 words. So here goes. The party has changed during this primary, due to the changing electorate and fundraising methods.

So when Mr. Greenspun recommended a flip of the coin to determine the Democratic nominee, I knew we needed to have this lesson and a reality check. The Clinton administration and the Democratic National Committee are not one and the same anymore. The grass-roots movement that Howard Dean started, and that Obama pretty much perfected, has now surpassed the traditional model of the 1990s. Regardless, I urge “new Democrat” Mr. Greenspun to support not only the nominee of our party, but our platform and our progressive reforms to a system broken by eight years of President Bush.

As someone who grew up in Las Vegas, like Mr. Greenspun, I know we can’t leave our democracy to the flip of the coin, the roll of the dice. We have to deal with real numbers, such as delegate count, period. Those were the rules and they can’t be changed midgame. Could you imagine the look on a pit boss’s face if you said 16 is the new 21 at a blackjack table?

I’ve gone over my word count, so let me conclude by saying again, welcome to the party, Mr. Green-spun. I’m sorry about your friend, and please join me in accepting and working for the inevitable nominee of our party, Sen. Barack Obama.

Bill DiBenedetto, Henderson