Dear Friends,

I am writing to explain why I believe that General Wes Clark is far and away the best candidate for our community.

But before I share my reasons with you, I feel I should disclose two things. First, General Clark is my father-in-law and on Christmas day, he became the grandfather of my first child, my son Wesley Pablo Oviedo Clark. Second, I am a proud Latina. I came to this country from Colombia, and I look forward to celebrating my Hispanic heritage with my son.

Some might say I'm biased, but I believe that--as a member of the Clark family and Latino community--I'm in the perfect position to tell you about the General.

Ever since I met my husband, I've had the chance to get to know my father-in-law. I have come to love and respect him. Here's why:

The General is a deeply religious man--a Catholic, who cares about people and especially, Latinos.

He knows that we are not a homogeneous group. That we are "de todos colores y sabores." He appreciates the variety and richness of our cultures. Some of us call ourselves Latinos, others prefer to identify with the term Hispanic. But however we refer to ourselves, General Clark is the clear candidate of choice for our community.

The General believes "Las acciones hablan mas fuertes que las palabras." There is only one candidate who has a track record of helping the Latino community. Throughout his career, General Clark has worked towards social and economic advancement for our families. He has proven he is a man of action.

For 34 years, my father-in-law served alongside Latinos in the U.S. Army. He saw the sacrifices that our community makes for this country. Men like Jose Gutierrez, a Guatemalan-born soldier and the first U.S. casualty of the war in Iraq. President Bush did not attend Jose's funeral, nor has he taken the time to attend the funerals of the Latinos who have died since. General Clark will make sure our soldiers and their families get the respect and support they deserve.

My father-in-law always stressed the importance of diversity in the ranks. He defended affirmative action because he saw that it strengthened our armed forces. He'll do the same as President.

When he was in the Army, he and my mother-in-law worked to improve education for Hispanic soldiers and their families. The General is serious about making sure that Latino children get the best education available. His Universal Preschool program will open up early education to every child in America. He will target necessary resources to needy schools and fund the next generation of bilingual education.

And his Universal College Grant will make it free for most students to attend the first two years of university. He also supports the DREAM Act, to open up college for undocumented students who spent their formative years here.

My father-in-law feels that too few Latinos have health care. Currently, one-third of our community is uninsured. The General supports programs to provide health care for lawfully present pregnant women and children regardless of entry date. And he will provide more affordable access to health care for all, extending health insurance to 30 million uninsured Americans.

General Clark believes, as we do, that the American Dream begins with a good job--which is why he will make job creation job one. During the Bush Administration, unemployment for Hispanics jumped by 41percent. The General will fix this by repealing Bush's tax cuts for the very rich, giving tax cuts to the middle class and investing $100 billion in job creation.

General Clark understands that immigration is a top concern for our community. He recognizes that the Bush Administration's neglect of this issue has led to a tragedy on the U.S.-Mexico border, where people are risking their lives to pursue the American dream. He will rectify this situation.

As the Commander of the Southern Command in Panama, he worked with the leaders of Latin American countries to strengthen the United States' relationships with their nations. And he personally arranged to transfer the Southern Command to Puerto Rico.

Even though he lived in Panama, and traveled extensively in Latin America, my father-in-law still feels he has much to learn from Latinos. That's why he is planning a roundtable with Latino leaders to discuss the issues that affect our diverse communities. He does not claim to have all of the answers, but he knows he will always consider the latino community in his decisions, unlike the Bush Administration that has left too many Latinos behind.

As the General has said:

"We are a nation of immigrants. We are a nation that defends the ideals of economic opportunity, human dignity, liberty and justice for all--ideals that were championed by Hispanic and Latino leaders such as Benito Juarez, Jose Marti, Simon Bolivar, Cesar Chavez y Eugenio Maria de Hostos y Bonilla, among others. And as a nation, we have the duty to help the countries of Latin America to achieve the American Dream because we are all Americans."

The United States I want my child to grow up in is one in which the American Dream is available to everyone. I know my father-in-law is the best man to guarantee that every child in America can live up to their God-given potential.

This is why I urge you to join me in helping General Wesley Clark become the next President of the United States. For more information on how to help, go to www.clark04.com or contact us at 501-537-2004. Let me thank you in advance for helping us make the American Dream possible.

And remember-- every vote counts and every volunteer makes a difference.

Sincerely yours,

Maria Astrid Clark