Didier still not endorsing Rossi
Clint Didier, who placed third in last month's U.S. Senate primary, just released a long letter to supporters explaining why he still can't endorse fellow Republican Dino Rossi.
Although from the letter, one might argue that Didier doesn't necessarily consider Rossi a fellow Republican, at least not until Rossi makes certain statements about taxes, federal spending and abortion.
Didier is headed to Washington, D.C., his spokeswoman Kathryn Serkes said, to take part in several events in the nation's capital over the 9/11 weekend. But today he posted "An Open Letter to All Republicans" on his recently created website, takebackwashington.org .
In the letter, the former NFL football player says he wants incumbent Democrat Patty Murray to lose as much as any Republican. But he feels he owes it to his supporters to endorse only a candidate who believes in limited government and individual liberty. He recounts the previously reported call he made to Rossi last month in which he asked Rossi to promise three things...,
...Pledge to never vote for new or increases in existing taxes. Pledge to never vote for any bill that causes a net increase in federal spending. Pledge to introduce Rep. Ron Paul's Sanctity of Life bill in the Senate.
"He refused. Sensing Rossi's reluctance to a public commitment, I even offered to accept his private verbal commitment to me alone -- believing I could then feel good enough to endorse. He refused. The phone call ended there. I did not ask for a commitment to reducing taxes and spending. All I asked is for a pledge not to let either grow beyond where they stand now."
In the letter, Didier disses Rossi as "one of those Republicans who sells us out in the middle of the night to more and bigger government." He goes on to quote William Wallace -- or at least Mel Gibson acting as Wallace in "Braveheart," which historians might note is not exactly the same thing -- to support his point that one should go for a big victory, not settle for small ones.
If Rossi makes the pledge, Didier says he'll appear at a "unity event" state party officials want to hold, and travel around the state on his own dime to campaign for Rossi. If not, apparently he won't.
