Howard Dean was in Pittsburgh today stumping for a terrific Dem challenger to Delay sockpuppet Melissa Hart for the PA-04 seat by the name of
Jason Altmire . I will talk more about Mr. Altmire below the fold but what I want to headline is how it felt to be part of a real party. Howard Dean has taken a lot of flack for taking the battle to the enemies turf but what they don't get at the DLC and the DCCC and the DSCC is that there are no "Red" Districts. We have democrats everywhere and we can win everywhere. The most important tool in our arsenal and what we have so completely gotten away from the past thirty years is putting the "party" back in the Democratic Party.
To preface, I am south of Messy Hart's district but she is so trully loathsome that I have had an interest in the race since late last year and thus I became aware of Jason Altmire. A political natural with looks and demeanor right out of central casting he has worked campaigns for other candidates for years. A year ago he realized the importance of this election and quit a plum position with the University Of Pgh Medical Center (a monolith in east coast medicine) to become a full time candidate for the U.S. House Of Representatives. While he is to my right on certain issues he is dead on in his dedication to bringing the accountability and fairness back to Washington. Most importantly we need to win seats to get a Democratic house with Democratic committees so I'm backing him as much as I can. When I recieved an invitation to attend a Howard Dean reception benefiting Altmire it was perfect.
Let me just say that this Democratic Party was a blast. For my wife it was like having backstage passes to a Springsteen concert. To me it was liberating finally being able to talk politics at a gathering of intelligent compassionate people. I was the able to say out loud that "Rick Santorum is a Fascist" and receive universal agreement. We immediately were fast friends with nearly a hundred people who we will probably never meet again. We shared the common bond of a resistance movement fused with good food and liquor.
(Future) Congressman Altmire mingled with everyone then warmed up the crowd with a sincere stump speach while everyone checked out the DNC Chair walking into the fiesta. Then Dean started speaking and the audience ate it up. The man connects with people and you get it that he really wants to connect. As he spoke with glee about personally canvassing a deeply red part of the PA-04 earlier in the day it was clear that he got the biggest kick out of talking to die hard republicans. He didn't delude himself that he converted any of the Republican choir but he knew that they would talk and talk and talk and in doing so, defuse the Democratic boogeyman in the minds of their respective republican circles of influence. This is a man who knows the real magic of grass roots that the modern Democratic party has too often forgotten.
I will be hosting a meet and greet of my own for Matt Smith, who is running for State Rep in my currently red district. Ten hours ago I was intimidated and wary of putting together a place for democrats to meet and greet a candidate but now I can't wait to provide my community with a chance to meet and greet their own Democratic neighbors. It's time to put the party back into the Democratic Party. It's not about raising funds, it's about getting a couple dozen people inspired to spending the next 100 days convincing everyone who loves and respects them to get out to vote in November. It doesn't take a lot of votes to win an midterm congressional district and local and state elections are even more dependent on dozens of votes, rather than thousands.
Find a local candidate, even if you have to go out of district and get involved. Meet the candidate and meet their people. Introduce them to your friends, kin and neighbors. Put out a sign and roast some hotdogs and get some swing votes drunk. If you can help win a democratic senate or congress or state assembly or city counsel or school board you will be making a huge difference. Most important you will be re-establishing the Democratic Party at the roots.
Remember:
You've got to fight...for your right...to Democratically Party!!!
Oh, and if you can't help anyone where you are go to Jason Altmire's site , learn more about him and give him some money because this is a district that can and will go blue this fall.