Lordy I'm tired. A couple of thoughts while I soak my feet. Today, I ran around with one of the grrls from Blondesense working for Webb and against the hate amendment in VA. It was fun, informative, and tiring.

First off, let me say that campaigns need to come out of the 1950s. A relative told me today (from a different state) that she would be burning all campaign literature delivered to her doorstep between now and election day. Not that she's apolitical, simply- she's been showered with it and the paper trail will supply kindling for her fires for months to come. It's a simple question to me: who really thinks a flyer or doorknob reminder will change any voter's mind? Or even get a 'low information' voter to come out to vote, over sitting around and watching Oprah on Tuesday? I smelled a lot of BBQ today, heard a lot of hooting over football; I'm not sure leaving a flyer in the door will convince those folks to do their Democratic duty.

I'll add that people who volunteer for campaigns are increasingly net savvy. This was no means my first experience, and every time I chat with my fellow door knockers, I find more and more who are net centered. And really, really informed. Being lazy, I'll point out that blog readers and bloggers share a common, growing language. And more than that. We also share a...what's the right word? Emotion? Sense of Urgency? Consciousness? As I said to the nice UC grad working the campaign today, it's as if we're all speaking a different, more complex language and sharing an energy level that many progressives do not. Which is not to diss straight up dead tree progressives; just to remind them: this is a new movement, and it's growing, and hungry. Campaign people who are smart tap into it. It's like little else.

Finally, I'll add that as always, it feels good to Be Civic. To do something for your country, your party, the process of Democracy. Everyone should do so. This is the first 'on the ground' stuff I've done in the metro DC area, and there's a heap of difference between this and the latte sipping moments of elite conferencing and exclusive panels and reports from experts, etc. I talked with and cajoled a lot of real people today, and was reminded of why I write on this blog.

Because a lot of people I saw today are hurting, obviously. Because many were young families, and stuffed into little complexes barely big enough to contain a child's imagination. Because there were all the races and orientations represented, no matter what the stereotypes tell us about "middle Virgina" and it's Kluxer heritage. Because I could see the cracks, the places where the system has let these people down, and because I could tell that even if none of them read my blog, the dissatisfaction is there. It just needs a place to be directed.

Wake up, Dems. It's yours for the taking. Today was tiring for me (oooh, my poor, soft, pampered feet!) but not so hard. Get smart about how you spend your money, realize that a little effort and respect translate into a wealth greater than any collection of Republican elite donor contributions. I could feel "it" today, that thang the talking heads are so afraid of but which they don't truly understand. And I'll offer up this warning to Republicans: the evote scam will only work for another 2, perhaps 3 elections. Bring on the totalitarianism, and full on, because after a few more years, even Rita and Candy and Wolf won't be able to convice the (majority) folks I spoke with today that they were in a minority of the electorate.