Ha. Bet you thought I became a "convert", didja? Not quite. This opening paragraph, however, will be (practically) the ONLY time I talk about him, though.
For this discussion, the President's ONLY importance is with regards to the Supreme Court. I don't know about you, but I certainly do NOT want another Thomas or Scalia. Which is what everyone on this site knows what will happen if THEY win. And if you think of the President ONLY in terms of the Supreme Court, it turns out that everybody here has a LOT more in common than not.
Such as?
Republicans must GO.
This election is going to take the hardest work we have ever done to win. Not for the President's sake--there are plenty of OFA and others here and throughout the country who will pound the pavement for the President. Just look at last quarter's fundraising: Over half a million donors.
Our job, however, is to work as PCCC, MoveOn, We Are Wisconsin, Rebuild the Dream, and others have: By EDUCATING people one on one about Republicans and their policies. We KNOW people hate Tea People policy. We KNOW that people loves them some good government. I've heard and seen some very good stuff on these issues. Stuff like the fact that almost HALF the people receiving government assistance don't know they are.
We've heard Keith Olbermann and Al Gore call us to action.
And that action MUST be directed in a couple of ways.
FIRST. Our GOTV efforts, and yes, that means EVERYBODY, should be getting out the vote for CONGRESS and for STATE and LOCAL officials. Because it's the Congress that will pass the legislation and get things done. And by electing STRONG progressives to state and local offices, we build the progressive wing of the party. Because it's THOSE officials that pick state party apparatus.
SECOND. Our outreach to those who voted in 2008 but did NOT vote in 2010 must be even stronger. This is where education comes in. The President will be trying to reach them to vote, but that team will have a narrow focus--just the President. OUR focus must be to awaken them to the dangers of Tea People and the Republican Party in general.
THIRD. Money. As I have mentioned before, the President has a formidable fund raising apparatus set up. Donate if you wish, but put your EMPHASIS on the "down ticket" races. See point two.
FOURTH. SuperPACs. Russ Feingold is wrong on this one. We NEED these kinds of groups putting out national ads just lambasting Republicans. And again, see point two for where the ads should be directed. Yes, we should make ads against the Republican nominee, but our focus should be on all the other races. The President can be as "post-partisan-y" as he wants to, but there's nothing he can do about these ads.
Remember, these people have billions and are ALREADY spending it. Everyone talks about the President raising a billion dollars. Well, that's CHUMP CHANGE compared to what Crossroads, AFP, FreedomWorks, and the others will spend by the time this is over.
All we have is US.
So forget about the President in 2012. Our SOLE purpose should be to take out the Republican Party. On ALL levels.
NOTHING ELSE MATTERS.
Because if we lose, the noble experiment that was the United States of America will end.