Nearly 500 retired senior military officials, diplomats and other officials signed an open letter last Thursday, endorsing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as “the leader our nation needs” and “a good man with a strong sense of right and wrong.”
“We are former public servants who have devoted our careers, and in many cases risked our lives, for the United States,” the officials wrote. “We are generals, admirals, senior noncommissioned officers, ambassadors, and senior civilian national security leaders. We are Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.
“We love our country. Unfortunately, we also fear for it. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven America needs principled, wise, and responsible leadership. America needs a President who understands, as President Harry S. Truman said, that ‘the buck stops here.’”
The letter was released Sep. 24 and included 489 signatories, calling themselves National Security Leaders for Biden.
Retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Michael E. Smith is listed as the executive director of National Security Leaders for Biden. Other members include retired Navy Admiral Steve Abbot; former National Security Council director Steven Brock; former Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig; former Under Secretary of Defense Michèle Flournoy; former National Security Adviser Susan Rice; retired U.S. Air Force Major General Margaret H. Woodward; former Agency Director for the Department of Homeland Security Dr. Patrick Carrick; and former CIA Officer and Senate Staff Steven A. Cash.
Dr. Peter Feaver, a professor of political science and public policy at Duke University, said that about half of the signatories – 207 – are former military members.
Biden was ascribed several positive characteristics in the letter, including empathy, honesty, integrity and wisdom.
