I had my first introduction to the Hilltop Brigade, a grassroots organization founded in Connecticut by Stephanie and Penelope, a couple of constituents of Rosa DeLauro (D-CT03). The organization was actually developed, with Congresswoman DeLauro's blessing, to help put volunteers in the streets and knocking on doors. But more than that, it was so 'safe' districts, such as DeLauro's, could essentially 'lend' volunteers to districts that had closer races.
Tonight, there was a gathering of such volunteers at Rosa DeLauro's New Haven residence. In attendance, besides Congresswoman DeLauro, were Congressmen John Larson (D-CT01), 'Landslide' Joe Courtney (D-CT02, my Congressman), Congressman Chris Murphy (D-CT05), and Jim Himes, the challenger to the ONLY Republican Congressman from New England, Chris Shays (R-CT04).
DeLauro stood on her staircase before a packed house full of potential volunteers and introduced each visitor. First, it was John Larson. Larson also represents a relatively safe district, and agrees with the idea of the Hilltop Brigade. He said he is the chairman of the New England Congressional Caucus, and it rankles him every time his Republican colleague shows up, we need him back home in Connecticut! He praised the Democratic Connecticut Delegation for standing up in the FISA fight. Landslide Joe Courtney said it was gratifying to stand in the presence of more people than his margin of victory, and if it hadn't been for the Hilltop Brigade, he wouldn't have had the victory. And those terrible fear mongering FISA ads? They have actually generated more positive calls than negative calls. Chris Murphy recalled his days two years ago being introduced to the Hilltop Brigade, and he was very nervous before asking them for their help in getting him elected - and he thanked them.
But the big speech was from Jim Himes. He was a very charismatic speaker. He spoke of his days in NYC on 9/11, putting his EMT skills to use, and how it made him think that if nothing else, the tragic attack pulled America together, even the French newspapers said the next day, 'We Are All Americans Today!' It was above politics, he said. 2006 showed America and the world that the power was in the grassroots, coming from the ground up - rather than from political power on high. It's a tough job, he said, but Americans thrive on tough jobs, recovering from wars, economic depressions, other things, and we can and must do it again! Even though the economic debt that this Administration has saddled us with is worse than ever, it's like fighting with one arm tied behind our backs, but we are tired of failing infrastructure, failing education, with housing and health care significant issues, but we enjoy a challenge and we can make America great again, as envisioned by the framers of the Constitution.
I know Kid Oakland, among others, have sang the tune of working for your candidate in past diaries, and he's right. Jim Himes said that if he's to get elected, he needs three things from the Hilltop Brigade: 1, thoughts and ideas, please call him; 2, feet on the street, the gold standard of modern elections; and 3, money.
I say, give 'em all three. And organize your states into Hilltop Brigades of your own, lend support from safe districts to those that need it.