Hey, some of you know that I'm now the Online Communications Director for John Kerry ... it's an odd experience going from chatting about politics as an activist/commenter on Daily Kos to chatting about it with legislative directors on the Hill. But it's not as different as you might think ...
I was on Capitol Hill yesterday; I'll update you on how things look in there on the Iraq fight. But the main thing I saw was this: it's a very fluid situation, and any pressure activists can put on the GOP, especially, to get any movement on that side is absolutely critical. And our friend Ned Lamont is jumping into the fight at this important time ... I'll print the email he's sending out below.
First, the quick update: I spoke to some people, and the biggest impression I got was that the leadership of our party is totally committed to our struggle. Multiple people told me both Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are heart-n-soul on our side.
The immediate situation is unclear to everyone. It's a lot more complicated than the media reports are making it out; they are stuck on a "Democrats cave" or "Democrats remain stubborn" paradigm. But there's a lot more confusion and fear on the GOP side than they like to point out. I heard stories about GOP caucus meetings where some Members were pleading with their leadership to make their concerns known to the White House. The pressure is really on in this one.
The other big impression is the sheer number of moving parts to this fight. There are so many different paths being talked about and pursued; the media focus on this one aspect of it, again, misses the point. "Benchmarks" are but one facet of all the discussions going on, and even the supplemental is only one part of the big picture. There are literally dozens of different directions being talked about, all with one goal: restore some sanity to our foreign policy and get out of the middle of the civil war in Iraq. I'm based in Boston, not DC, so I'm more used to the atmosphere of the activists; I was actually surprised at how strongly people in the building feel about this, as well. If possible, many of them are even stronger in their feelings than many activists because they have to live it every day.
So, the pressure is building all over the place, and the GOP is feeling it (ignore the media's repeating of old narratives of "Democratic disunity/GOP unity"). As I said, it's a very, very fluid situation, and anything we can do to push the dynamic in our direction is great.
And, entering the picture, is Ned Lamont. We made our email community available to him, and he's sending out a letter urging action. It's barely being sent right now (we're coding it and getting our server cranking on the first batch), but I thought I'd let you guys read it right away ...
Hi there,
Last year, Connecticut Democrats heard my call for an end to the war in Iraq and nominated me to be their U.S. Senate candidate. The pundits derided our campaign, but John Kerry had my back. We didn't win the general election, but the explosion of activist energy my campaign triggered helped change the debate nationally and led to Democrats winning a majority in both houses of Congress.
John Kerry and the new Democratic-majority Senate you helped elect are fighting to end the war in Iraq. They have passed legislation to set a deadline for bringing our troops home. But President Bush vetoed that bill, and Senate Republicans continue to act as a roadblock, giving cover for the President and planning to shoot down any attempts at challenging his potential veto.
Four of those Roadblock Republicans -- Susan Collins (ME), John Sununu (NH), Norm Coleman (MN), and minority leader Mitch McConnell (KY) -- will face the voters in 2008. Nothing changes a politician's mind like the prospect of a tough challenge at the polls.
Click here to help Clear the Roadblock.
When you're done, please be sure and use John Kerry’s site to send an email to the Senators you've targeted telling them what you did and letting them know that it's time they get with the program. They need to hear our voices. And if they get thousands of messages, not only telling them what they should be doing, but also telling them that we are actively working for that change we seek, I assure you they will have to hear it.
The activist energy of the 2006 campaign moved the entire national debate on Iraq. From that point onward, people like John Kerry, who were fighting against the odds for a change of course, had the support of the Democratic caucus – and now a Senate majority committed to change. It's time for another burst of activist energy to move this issue forward in GOP territory, and I'm proud to join John Kerry in calling on you to apply some pressure to the Republican caucus.
If we can put enough pressure on these members of the Senate, we can force the Republican Party to change their thinking and start isolating the White House to force a resolution. They won't lead, so we have to tell them to follow, or we'll force them out of the way.
Put pressure on them and try to get our troops home. Click here to help Clear the Roadblock.
Thank you,
Ned Lamont