Why Hillary's extremists must support Barack Obama

Even after Hillary Clinton has suspended her presidential campaign and endorsed Barack Obama, some of her staunchest supporters are still threatening to vote for McCain over Obama.

I still hear them in the coffee shops, the bus stops, and the supermarket checkout lines. Their candidate didn't win the Democratic nomination, so they'll respond by moving over to the dark side.

I understand that they are disappointed and disillusioned. But a vote for McCain would be against their best interests and the best interests of this nation and the world. As my grandmother used to say, it's like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

I understand that they love and admire Hillary Clinton, and that they so fervently hoped to see a woman elected to the highest office in the land. But they need to wake up and realize that Clinton and Obama hold very similar positions on most issues, while McCain's views are quite the opposite.

A vote for John McCain is a vote for a continuation of our senseless and deadly occupation of Iraq, justified and sustained by lies, spin, and ignorance.

A vote for John McCain is a vote for more torture.

A vote for John McCain is a vote against taking care of our war veterans.

A vote for John McCain is a vote for the same failed economic policies that have driven us into a recession and increased our national debt to grossly irresponsible levels.

A vote for John McCain is a vote for a government of, by, and for the special interests.

A vote for John McCain is a vote for more conservatives on the Supreme Court.

And -- Hillary supporters please take note -- a vote for John McCain is a vote for more government-sponsored misogyny.

In other words, a vote for John McCain is a vote for more of the same kinds of misguided and dangerous foreign and domestic policies that we've suffered with under the Bush regime.

So Hillary's militant supporters need to step back, take a deep breath, and ask themselves if their own stubbornness is really worth that high a price. And I hope they realize that the answer is "no".