How The West Was Won... And Lost

This week has been nothing short of amazing! Barack Obama will be our next President. More and better Democrats will be going to Congress. The electoral map has undergone a major blue shift.

So why has this whole experience been bittersweet at best for me? Well, all is not well in my own home state. So what can we celebrate and what must we fix? Let me share with you the story of this election from behind the scenes.



First off, let's start with the bad news. We lost in California. But wait, you ask, didn't Obama win by about 24%? Isn't that good? Of course it is, and that isn't the problem.

The problem in California is that Barack Obama had hardly any coattails here. Look at how Prop 8, the marriage ban, may end up having to be stopped at the courts (again, hopefully). Look at how, barring the results in CA-44 & CA-04 changing in the provisional vote count, we have not gained any new Congressional seats. Look at how we're still short of a 2/3 supermajority in both houses of the state legislature.

Simply put, we failed our mission in The Golden State. There were hundreds of thousands of "undervotes" here, meaning that people voted Obama for President but did NOT continue downballot to vote on Congress, the initiatives, and local races. This is nothing short of tragic, and there's no excuse for the nation's biggest Blue State to still show so much red! Because of the inept and disastrous "leadership" of the state party, the refusal of the DCCC to invest in real races like CA-44 & CA-46, and the horribly gawd-awful "leadership" by The Task Force & Equality California on the No on 8 campaign & their failure to have a real ground game, we missed the opportunity to turn the Obama victory into a progressive victory in California.







Now contrast what happened in California on Tuesday to what happened in Nevada on the same day. While one state didn't change much, the other state next door underwent a massive transformation! Like Mountain West neighbors New Mexico & Colorado, Nevada is now officially a Blue State! And not just that, but Democrats now have a broad and clear mandate for progressive change.

Progressive Democrat Dina Titus was elected to Congress in a "swing district" that Bush won in 2004. Democrats now control both houses in the state legislature for the first time since 1991, including a 2/3 supermajority in the Assembly. Voters approved a good initiative that will actually help Nevada fully fund its schools. And of course, Barack Obama won the ex-Red State by a whopping 12%, including an 18% win in Clark County (Las Vegas Metro) and wins in the formerly Republican Carson City & Washoe (Reno) Counties!

So why were the results in Nevada so dramatically different? Let's see, Harry Reid and the state party leaders actually began early in registering more Democrats and building an aggressive field operation while the GOP was power drunk and asleep at the wheel. The Obama campaign and the state party were effective in coordinating with the Dina Titus campaign, the Jill Derby campaign up north, and the local campaigns. All the candidates up and down the ballot had a clear and consistent message for change on the economy, energy & environment, education, health care, and so much more. Basically, Democrats worked together on the ground and that's why we won!

So what lessons can we learn from this tale of two states? First off, there's no real substitute for a grassroots door-to-door, face-to-face campaign. Despite the good last-minute ads, they may have been too little & too late to make up for the lack of a ground game for No on 8 in California. Meanwhile in Nevada, no amount of negative attack ads from the Republicans against Dina Titus & Barack Obama could make up for their complete lack of a ground game while we Democrats truly rocked the vote!

Secondly, Nevada Democrats succeeded in translating an Obama victory into a progressive victory while California Democrats were simply lost in translation. Why couldn't we win the 45th & 48th Congressional Districts when Obama carried them? Why couldn't Debbie Cook win in the 46th when Obama carried it? Why were there so many undervotes statewide? Whatever the Nevada Democratic Party did right, the California Democratic Party needs to learn how to do it.

And finally, we should all be of good cheer! The West is ours if we want it! The results across the region prove that where Democrats work, Democrats win. But in places like California where state party leaders grew complacent, we lost out on real opportunities.

So what do we do next? After we're done celebrating, we will go back to work! We have more work to do to keep progress going, so let's do it! :-D

My Final Plea for Change

That's the front of my house. Sometimes, I feel so alone. I see McBush-Failin signs all over the neighborhood across the park from mine. I see the Christianists (aka radical right fundamentalists) put up signs in support of the marriage ban all over my neighborhood. Sometimes, I just want to cry because I feel so alone.



But you know what? In the last few weeks of walking my neighborhood and surrounding areas, I found out something quite reassuring. I'm actually not alone! Quite a few of my neighbors are just as disgusted with the radical right as I am. I can tell.

How so? They tell me. They tell me when I knock on their doors. They tell me with their bumper stickers. They tell me with their yard signs. They tell me that I'm not alone in wanting an end to fearmongering, an end to hatemongering, and the dawn of a new day filled with hope and understanding and compassion and love.

For far too long, the Rethuglicans have tried to convince all of us that each of us is alone and isolated. We're alone in not being truly "pro-America". We're alone in not persecuting gay & lesbian couples and blaming them for all our problems. We're alone in thinking that it's wrong to steal from the working class to bestow upon the ultra-wealthy.

But guess what? They're WRONG! We are not alone, and we'll find out on November 4.

That's why it's critical that we stand up now & let ours and! our friends' voices be heard! Whatever you can do, please do it! Give, volunteer, speak up.

I'll be leaving home tomorrow to help elect Democrats (including Barack Obama) to office in Nevada. But if you'll still be in California, please stay & work to defeat the hateful and bigoted Proposition 8 and elect great Democrats like Debbie Cook to office. This is our last call to make real change happen. Please take it.

The Battleground in My Backyard

Nervous yet? I know I am. It's crazy enough having to follow the Presidential Election 24/7. But for me and my friends & family here in California, we have even more on our minds!

We have a Congressional race to win. We have an evil, discriminatory
ballot initiative to defeat. And of course, we have a community, a county, and a country to take back!

Let me tell you about what I did last weekend to make all of this happen.



On Saturday, I met with some hard-working union friends in Costa Mesa to walk a neighborhood for Debbie Cook. As always, the pre-walk rally was great! Debbie fired up the crowd as she talked about what she would do to actually serve us in the district. Local labor leaders talked about what we can do to translate enthusiasm for Obama into votes for local Democrats. All in all, I felt quite good about what I was about to do to help Debbie win.

I also felt good about going out and talking to voters about Proposition 8. For all of you unfamiliar with California politics, we often govern by initiative because of our dysfunctional state government. Unfortunately, the radical right has used the initiative process to try to pass horrible legislation that wouldn't otherwise see the light of day in Sacramento. Prop 8 is one of these horrid radical right power plays that would overturn marriage equality in California and reinstate a Plessy v. Ferguson style segregation that treats gay and lesbian couples as inferior to straight couples. The polls on Prop 8 are close now, so we can't take anything for granted. That's why I included Prop 8 in my walk.





After the rally, I walked with a friend from the local Young Democrats club in a Republican leaning area near the 405 Freeway in Costa Mesa. At first, I was disheartened by all the "Yes on 8" and "McCain-Palin" signs I saw on the street. But as I began talking to the voters on our list, my experience wasn't so demoralizing. In fact, I found a few undecided Republicans, two houses with Debbie Cook signs up, and a beautiful 90 year old woman who smiled as she told me she was voting for Debbie Cook and against Prop 8! All in all, that's not so bad for a "Republican stronghold"!

On Sunday, I shifted to the small southwestern portion of Santa Ana that lies in the 46th Congressional District. Specifically, I walked the neighborhood across the street from mine which has sizable Latino and Vietnamese populations. And while this neighborhood is less Republican than the Costa Mesa neighborhood I walked the previous day, I knew it would still be an uphill battle here. So what happened?

I was in for some pleasant surprises! I met a wonderful 80 year old woman who was glad to hear about Debbie Cook and was already voting no on 8. I met a fantastic 60+ couple who have been volunteering for MoveOn.org, so they were very receptive to what I had to say! I found a couple more undecided Republicans and some young voters who appreciated my last minute reminder to vote. So again, the final results weren't as bad as I had originally expected.

So what does this all mean? Hopefully, this means that we can win if we work for it! Despite all the talk of whether or not Obama will "win by a landslide!", we can't be sidetracked into post-election punditry when we still have an election to actually win! And despite all the talk about California being "safe", it's NOT! It's not safe for marriage equality, but on the other hand it's also not safe for corrupt Republicans.

So what can we do in the next week? We can donate! We can volunteer! We can do all we can in the next week to win and WIN BIG! So don't just stand there, but go out & help win this election! :-D

CA-46: Live from the Battleground!

OK, so I see that our friend Todd at MyDD covered it. I know some some Andrew Davey person also talked about it. Still, I need to talk with you about it. I need to talk with you about a very competitive, very close race that we can win.

Is it in Ohio? Florida? Virginia? Colorado? Nope. I'm talking about California's 46th Congressional District!

Debbie Cook is running a very competitive campaign against the 20 year Republican incumbent, Dana Rohrabacher. Dana never felt like he was in danger before, so he never really felt the need to the job that voters here hired him to do. He has never brought home the resources that local communities need to stay safe and healthy because he doesn't believe in effective government. Dana doesn't believe in representing his own constituents because they care about taking on the climate crisis, ending the Iraq Occupation, fixing the economy, and protecting women's reproductive rights... While he'd rather worry about asteroid attacks and RFK Assassination conspiracy theories. I'm not even kidding, and that's why Dana is so crazy, so silly, and so scary!

Now contrast "Crazy Dana" with Debbie Cook. Unlike Dana, Debbie has a real record of real results. She stood up against corruption and waste in the Huntington Beach City Council. Without her, we wouldn't have a protected coastline and coastal wetlands stretching all the way from the Bolsa Chica Wetlands to the mouth of the Santa Ana River. Because Debbie Cook actually cares about the well-being of the community enough to fight for more effective government, the people of Surf City USA are better for it.

The choice couldn't be clearer. That's why we're seeing attitudes changing and votes changing, even in places like Costa Mesa.

Over the weekend, I walked two distinct neighborhoods in Costa Mesa, a kind of "bellwether" city in the Orange County part of the district. On Saturday, I walked the more working class and Latino heavy west side that has been hit hard by both the economic crisis and by the Republican controlled city council's attempts to kick out the working poor so big developers can profit off "gentrification". The voters here were quite receptive to Debbie Cook's message of real change to help real working people. And because Crazy Dana has a horrible record of scapegoating everything on immigrants, many people here will be glad to see him gone!

On Sunday, however, I switched to a neighborhood in the more upscale and lily white east side of Costa Mesa. Over here, the glamorous Newport Harbour is within sight and the McMansions here sometimes make me wonder if I really have crossed the Newport Beach city limits. Honestly, I was a little concerned about finding any Democrats here. But to my surprise, I found them! And better yet, I also found Republicans and Independents who were ready to cross over!

Believe it or not, Costa Mesa and other Orange County towns in the 46th District are not as Republican as the Republucan Party wants us to believe. Democrats have won here before. And yes, Democrats can win here again!

All we need are the resources to do it. Will you please help? We only have two weeks left. And with your help, I know we can win! So will you please help this Orange County local dump Crazy Dana and elect a Congressperson we can all be proud of?

In the Neighborhood

Yesterday, I finally had a chance to walk in my own community and talk about the election here in California. Yes, believe it or not, we have competitive races here! One of them happens to be in the 46th Congressional District, where the always wonderful Debbie Cook is running. That's why I was more than happy to go down a few streets from my house to walk the neighborhood and help Debbie win!

Let me tell you how that went.



When I first saw a "McCain-Palin" yard sign in the neighborhood, I had some concern. I know this area is a little more Republican leaning than my neighborhood on the other side of the park, so I just braced myself for the worst. I walked by the McCain house to the first house on my list.

And what did I discover?

I found a house full of Democrats who were delighted to see me at their door! As soon as I explained to them who Debbie Cook is, why she's running, and how we can send her to Congress, they were immediately on board. My first house was a success, but would it be a good omen of what was to come?

I then found a Republican who didn't want to vote at all, a Democrat who was concerned about her husband's health care (he's a veteran and now retired from his job), and an Independent who liked what Debbie Cook did to protect the Huntington coastline. I even ran into someone who was actually registering to vote when I stopped at her house! Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by all the support for Debbie Cook I found in this neighborhood!

And really, this is what we should be seeing if we want to win this and other traditionally Republican districts. Here in the 46th District, Republicans still hold a 12% registration plurality and a R+6 PVI. But fortunately, this "typical Orange County district" isn't as Republican leaning as you'd think. Democrats like Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer have carried the 46th District, and Democrats can actually win here if they try!

I know. I live in Orange County. I've seen successful Democratic campaigns in action. From what I've seen of Debbie Cook's campaign, I know she can win.

So what can we do to help Debbie Cook win? Donate what you can! Give of your time if you're in Southern California! We can't miss this opportunity. Let's help Debbie Cook win so we can expand our majority! :-)

C4O Spotlight: Let's get Debbie Cook (CA-46) on the air!

Today, the C4O All Stars spotlight shines on Debbie Cook, mayor of Huntington Beach, California and candidate for California's 46th Congressional district.

As we've told you previously in CA-46: Better Leadership for Our People & Our Planet, Debbie Cook is from the deep red Orange County and she's attempting to unseat GOP rubberstamp, and global warming denier, Dana Rohrabacher. Debbie Cook is well-known in the region, popular, and has a realistic shot at turning this red district blue.

Now, Debbie has a new TV ad, "Results", that she's airing across her district (see it here). This ad makes it clear how different Debbie's policies are from Dana Rohrabacher. As Debbie says:

I'm just not comfortable playing the Washington politics that have kept Dana in office for so long; I am depending on hardworking Americans like you for support, not Washington lobbyists like Jack Abramoff. A campaign built on the power of our community working together is the way we are going to win in November.

Now Debbie is asking for help to get this ad on the air. Each ad costs about $38 (which sounds like a great price to me) and she's asking for donations so her ad can air as many times as possible between now and November 4.

This is the chance to help unseat a really awful, entrenched Republican and get some real respresentation for the people of Orange County. Please use our C4O ActBlue page to donate to Debbie Cook's campaign (and maybe contribute to a few other good Dems while you're there.) And if you donate $38 to Debbie Cook's campaign, you can be assured that someone in Orange County is seeing a political advertisement all thanks to you.

For Hillary

(Proudly cross-posted at Clark Community Network)

Sometimes, I still feel disappointed about this election. Sometimes, I keep asking myself "Where's Hillary?" Sometimes, I become frightened at the thought of Democrats losing. Sometimes, I still wish I could see Hillary back on the campaign trail again.

Sometimes, I wonder what the hell I'm doing now. But you know what? I just can't keep looking back. I can't let Hillary down now.



After all that I did for Hillary, how can say no to her now? That's what keeps me going. That's what continues to prod me forward. That's what keeps me pushing for Democrats.



Hillary has done so much for us. She proved to me that no one can hold us back. She taught us that yes, we can pursue our dreams. She showed us that with hard work and true grit, we can accomplish anything.

So why am I freaking out over a couple of lousy polls for Barack Obama? Why am I allowing the Rethuglican hacks to scare me into submission again? Why must I worry myself into complete depression when John McBush still can't build up a lead? While this latest rough patch has taught me not to become to complacent in "likely victory", there's also no reason for me to commit suicide over this.

After all, Hillary keeps fighting for us... Even when all the pundits & DC insiders count her out. And if she can keep working for a Democratic victory this fall, so can I. If she can continue fighting, so can I.

There's far too much at stake for us to lose. We desperately need a Democrat in the White House to right Bush's wrongs. Oh yes, and we need a Democratic Congress to help President Obama do that.

When I was in Nevada this past January campaigning for Hillary, I had the time of my life. One of my best memories from that trip was seeing Hillary in person for the first time at a campaign event in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson. I was amazed by her intelligence, her wit, her beauty, and her grace. But you know who also amazed me? I also remember seeing a state senator by the name of Dina Titus impress me with her breadth of knowledge on Nevada issues along with her warm, soulful personality. I was excited when I later found out that Dina Titus is now running for Congress, and I couldn't help but to make sure I was of help to her.

When I was starring to become depressed about the state of the Presidetial Race in May, I found a new cause to enthusiastically jump into. Like Hillary, Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook is another strong woman who doesn't stop fighting when the going gets tough. I've been able to witness her commitment to environmental justice here in Orange County, CA, and we'll all be well served to have people like Debbie serve us in Congress. I'm sure that would make Hillary smile.

So this is why I keep fighting. This is why I keep working so damn hard for Democrats. I want to see more people like Hillary take office and fight for us. If she won't ever give up on us, let's not give up on her and the causes she believes in.

Let's not give up now. Let's keep fighting. We can stay strong. If Hillary can do it, so can we. :-)

My contribution: $

CA-46: Crazy Dana Walking Precincts... WHERE??!!

My contribution: $

(Proudly cross-posted at Swing State Project)

Ah, how I love me the right-wing blogs! Sometimes, I find it amusing to simply lurk over there and see the vile garbage spew out of their keyboards. But to my surprise, I found out today that some of my recent diaries have been featured on an infamous local right-wing blog.

Apparently, Debbie Cook is foolish for actually talking to voters. I mean, why should she actually take time to talk to voters? "Crazy Dana" Rohrabacher obviously doesn't. I have yet to see one neighborhood outreach walk, volunteer phone bank, or any other kind of voter outreach activity happening with his campaign.

Well, I guess it's Crazy Dana's loss that he doesn't talk to voters while Debbie Cook does. The more voters here in the 46th District find out about him, the less they like him. And as they learn more about Debbie Cook, the more they like her for her hard work to protect our quality of life as well as her plan to make real change that benefits real people.

 

 OK, so Dana doesn't want to earn his votes? And he'd rather continue with his extreme right-wing agenda than listen to the more moderate voters in his own district? So be it.  

I just hope Dana's ready to face the consequences. From what I understand, voters don't like to be ignored. And if Dana keeps ignoring his own voters, he may have a tougher November than what he's planning for. I just wonder if he & his GOP buddies have actually thought this through.

Whatever. I shouldn't have to worry about Crazy Dana & his far-right GOP pals. We have enough work to do ensuring that great Democrats like Debbie Cook get elected this fall.

Barack Obama (President)	$
Hillary Clinton (President)	$
Debbie Cook (CA-46)	$
Jeanne Shaheen (NH-Sen)	$
Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)	$
Jeff Merkley (OR-Sen)	$
Dina Titus (NV-03)	$
Linda Stender (NJ-07)	$
Darcy Burner (WA-08)	$
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)	$
Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15)	$
Debbie Halvorson (IL-11)	$
Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24)	$
Martin Heinrich (NM-01)	$
Dan Maffei (NY-25)	$
Jon Powers (NY-26)	$
Charlie Brown (CA-04)	$
Jim Himes (CT-04)	$
Gary Peters (MI-09)	$
Glenn Nye (VA-02)	$

Are you with me? ;-)

CA-46: Better Leaderhsip for Our People & Our Planet

(Proudly cross-posted at Swing State Project & MyDD)

I live in Orange County, CA. I'm used to seeing scary Republicans that care nothing about environmental justice. But of all the crazy Republicans here, none can be crazier than "Crazy Dana" Rohrabacher. He's consistently voted against the best interests of our people and our planet, and it's time we do something about this. That's why I'm so glad to see some good friends of ours take real action for real change.




Here's the big announcement from the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV):

“We’re proud to support Debbie Cook because she has shown time and again her commitment to protecting our coastal resources,” said CLCV’s Southern California Director David Allgood. “Mayor Cook has a long record of achievement on environmental, public health and other issues important to the people of the 46^th District.”

Huntington Beach Mayor & Democratic Congressional Candidate Debbie Cook has worked so hard to do so much to protect the California coastal environment. She successfully sued the state Coastal Commission to protect the ecologically sensitive Bolsa Chica Wetlands. She successfully convinced all the Republicans on the Huntington Beach City Council to join with all the Democrats on the council in unanimously agreeing to sign the city onto the US Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement. And today, she's working to stop a dangerous desalination plant that would harm the regional coastline while fueling more exurban sprawl.



(photo coutresy LA Times) 

Debbie Cook truly is the people's environmental champion here in Orange County, CA. And if we elect her to Congress, she can be a champion for all of us. So will you please join the League of Conservation Voters in supporting Debbie Cook?


I've come to know Debbie Cook pretty well as I've helped out with the campaign. She's the real deal. That's why she's earned my full support. I hope she can earn yours as well. :-)

Barack Obama (President)	$
Hillary Clinton (President)	$
Debbie Cook (CA-46)	$
Jeanne Shaheen (NH-Sen)	$
Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)	$
Jeff Merkley (OR-Sen)	$
Dina Titus (NV-03)	$
Darcy Burner (WA-08)	$
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)	$
Suzanne Kosmas (FL-24)	$
Linda Stender (NJ-07)	$
Christine Jennings (FL-13)	$
Martin Heinrich (NM-01)	$
Gary Peters (MI-09)	$
Charlie Brown (CA-04)	$
Glenn Nye (VA-02)	$
WesPAC - Securing America's Future	$

Who Should We Love?

(This is my big, fabulous Swing State Project debut! And yes, this is cross-posted at MyDD.)

Hello. I'm atdleft, someone you may know from Clintonistas for Obama or MyDD or The Liberal OC. I'm new to Swing State Project, so please don't get too rough on me.

I just want to let you know that when we're not obsessing over all things Presidential, my friends & I are looking for good Congressional candidates to support. We already have some idea of who looks good to us, but I'd like to hear from all of you on which candidates we should help out. Whild I'd love to be of use to everyone, I at least want to make sure I'm doing something for Democrats that: (a) can win & (b) will stick to good progressive values once elected.

Because I'm in the area and I'm already familiar with her, I'm all for Debbie Cook. She's running against an extreme right-wing wacko incumbent, and she's the first Democratic challenger since Loretta Sanchez (in 1996) who has a real chance of winning an Orange County, CA, House seat. I'm already doing whatever I can to help her win, and I encourage everyone else in the LA/OC area to do the same.

But what about everyone else living in other parts of the country? I feel terrible leaving them all out in the cold. That's why I'm here today asking for suggestions.

So who should we love? Which candidates deserve our attention? Is Dina Titus the one who can finally upset Jon Porter in NV-03? Can Charlie Brown blow away GOP carpetbagger Tom McClintock in CA-04? Is the second time the charm for Darcy Burner (WA-08) & Christine Jennings (FL-13)? And can Jeff Merkley (OR-Sen), Tom Udall (NM-Sen), & Jeanne Shaheen (NH-Sen) help us expand our Senate majority?

So who should we love? Tell me now. If you make a good case, you might see big chances with this ActBlue page & some diaries from me promoting your favorite candidate(s). ;-)

Change I Can REALLY Believe In!

(Proudly cross-posted at The Liberal OC & MyDD)

You know, we hear the term "change" used so often as little more than a cheap political slogan. That's why it's been so refreshing to see Barack Obama give us reason to belive change is more than just a word. That's why I'm so proud of our Democratic Party for standing up for real change that helps real people. And yes, that's why I'm excited about some great Democratic candidates who are bringing home the message of change.

We have great Democratic candidates all over the country who are working hard to make change happen. I'm so blessed that I get to see so many of them in action here in California. The picture above is from Netroots Nation, where a number of candidates have gone to meet up with progressive activists to discuss how we'll take our country back.

The candidate pictured on the far left is Steve Young. He's the Democrat running for Congress in the 48th District. While the "conventional wisdom" and the typical naysayers have been saying he can't win, Steve's been busy building a strong grassroots organization in South Orange County. And now, he just might be ready to prove the naysayers otherwise.

I took a look today at some internal polling in the 48th District. In this area that's supposed to be "solid Republican", McCain is only beating Obama 41%-34%! Also, only 15% of all the voters polled said they believe this nation is on the right track. And even better, the top issues for these voters are the fixing the economy, reducing oil dependency, securing veterans' benefits, and lowering gas prices, all of these being issues Democrats are running strongly on. Immigration barely even reached the top four issues for Republicans only! And you know what's the best part? Steve Young is beating the GOP incumbent John Campbell 43%-36%!

So clearly, all the hard work done by Steve Young's campaign is paying off! Earlier this year, the campaign began working with local Barack Obama volunteers on this election. And now, the campaign has not just a strong network of organizers, but also a district that's being worked by Democrats and is starting to trend Democratic.

This is the kind of news that excites me. It should be exciting to all of us! And if we all want to stay excited about not just electing Obama, but making real change in Congress as well, we should be supporting Democrats like Steve Young that are making change happen from the grassroots up.

Oh yes, and I should mention a few other terrific Democrats bringing the "change" message home. In the nearby 46th District, Debbie Cook is working hard to make change happen and get rid of a lazy, CReepy incumbent that hasn't done anything good for the district in the 20 years he's been in office. In another district that was once thought of as "unwinnable", Debbie Cook is proving the naysayers wrong.

Debbie Cook is a Democrat that has been mkaing good, progressive change happen in a city and a region that are supposed to be "solidly Republican". She's not only been challenging the status quo, but beating it! Debbie Cook deserves our support.

Oh yes, and while we're talking about beating the status quo, let's not forget two other fantastic change-makers running here in California. Charlie Brown has been one of the hardest-working Democratic challengers this side of the Rockies. He nearly ousted the GOP incumbent in 2006, and this time the Rethugs are running so scared that all they can do is run an extreme right, wacky, out-of-district carpetbagger. Charlie Brown can win... If we support him!

And finally, we have Russ Warner. He's taking on yet another out-of-touch, out-of-ethics GOP Congresscritter, and his work is helping us quickly turn this reddish-purple district bluer. Russ Warner can win... All we need to do is make sure he has the support he needs.

So are you with me? Are you ready for some real change? Great! Please remember these wonderful candidates who are bringing home Barack Obama's message of change, and please do what you can to help them win! :-)

Making Change Happen, One House Race at a Time

(Cross-posted at PartyBuilder and MyDD)

Wow! Just wow. I've been perusing the FEC filings for the 2nd Quarter today. And you know what?

Democrats rock... Especially our terrific candidates here in California!

I am simply stunned by how well Democrats are doing... And conversely, how poorly these GOP incumbents are doing! It really proves that we have an "enthusiasm gap" in our favor.

When we have Democrats like Debbie Cook, Nick Leibham, and Charlie Brown outraising their opponents in races that are supposed to be "solidly Republican", we know the GOP is in deep trouble. When we have GOP incumbents like Dana Rohrabcher & Brian Bilbray who can't muster up enough support in their own districts, we know we have a real opportunity to make real change happen. When we have this much grassroots support in our communities for our supposedly "longshot" Democratic candidates, we know change is a'comin'!

So let's celebrate! Oh yes, and let's donate to these great candidates and make sure the momentum stays strong! Barack Obama & the Democratic party are following the 50-state strategy, and this is the fruit of their efforts & our labor.

Let's keep making change happen... ;-)

What Patriotism Really Looks Like

(Proudly cross-posted at Clintonistas for Obama, Democratic PartyBuilder, and MyDD)

Is it just me, or is there something truly special about the Fourth of July holiday? I know, I know, it should be special to all of us because it's when we celebrate what our nation is about. I guess I'm just blessed that I'm able to see and experience this holiday in a special way.

It's fast becoming a tradition for me to march with my local Democratic Party in the world-famous Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade. And when I march with my fellow Democrats in the parade, I notice something amazing. I also noticed this afterwards, when I was working with local Barack Obama volunteers on voter registration.

You know what it is?





This is what true patriotism looks like. Yes, I'm serious. We love our country so much that we woke up at the crack of dawn to navigate around messy freeways and closed streets to show up. We love our country so much that we saluted all the brave troops that love our country so much to fight for it and defend it. We love our country so much that we value our community here and we participate in civic activities like this one to continue making our nation a better place to live.

Oh yes, and we love our country so much that we stayed after the parade to register new voters. Oh yes, and we also stayed to inform current voters about the upcoming election. Yes, we love our country so much that we become involved in politics. We do activities like this, and we work our you-know-whats off to ensure we elect good people to office who will honor what this nation is all about.

You know, so many people just think of patriotism as a superficial gesture. I don't. Despite what many would say, Democrats like me truly are patriotic. We love this country so much that we get involved, and we stay active so we can see real results and real progress for America.That's why I marched in the parade yesterday. That's why I registered new voters for Obama. That's why I'm an active Democrat.

OK, that's the end of my rant... Now you can enjoy the rest of my photos! ;-)