The email was simple, elegant, and damn near perfect. It made me remember that we are still on track and steady focused on the goal - no matter how sloppy, frustrating, and fearful Daily Kos gets in the meantime. It made me that much more confident.
I want to thank you for everything you have done to take us this far -- farther than anyone predicted, expected, or even believed possible.
And I want to remind you that you will make all the difference in the epic challenge ahead.
Thank you,
Barack Obama
Full email after the break.
Rian --
The polls are closed in Kentucky and votes are being counted in Oregon, and it's clear that tonight we have reached a major milestone on this journey.
We have won an absolute majority of all the delegates chosen by the people in this Democratic primary process.
From the beginning, this journey wasn't about me or the other candidates. It was about a simple choice -- will we continue down the same road with the same leadership that has failed us for so long, or will we take a different path?
Too many of us have been disappointed by politics and politicians more times than you can count. We've seen promises broken and good ideas drowned in a sea of influence, point-scoring, and petty bickering that has consumed Washington.
Yet, in spite of all the doubt and disappointment -- or perhaps because of it -- people have stood for change.
Unfortunately, our opponents in the other party continue to embrace yesterday's policies and they will continue to employ yesterday's tactics -- they will try to change the subject, and they will play on fears and divisions to distract us from what matters to you and your future.
But those tactics will not work in this election.
They won't work because you won't let them.
Not this time. Not this year.
We still have work to do to in the remaining states, where we will compete for every delegate available.
But tonight, I want to thank you for everything you have done to take us this far -- farther than anyone predicted, expected, or even believed possible.
And I want to remind you that you will make all the difference in the epic challenge ahead.
Thank you,
Barack Obama
I know that many of you received the same letter. I know that we often dismiss the campaign missives as a sort of high-quality spam. I know that this one crystallizes, to me, the incredible achievement that the Obama campaign represents in America.
It also reminds us that this is NOT over. We should not expect that. We should not want that. We should keep the wind in our sails and soldier on to Novemeber, no matter what.
No matter what the talking heads in the traditional media tell us we should be worried about. No matter what the two remaining opponents say. No matter what goblins of concern and doubt pop up in our own heads. No matter what.
We can do this. We ARE doing this. It is not over, but that does not diminish it at all. To me, this says it all. Indulge me for a moment, I need to quote it one more time:
Too many of us have been disappointed by politics and politicians more times than you can count. We've seen promises broken and good ideas drowned in a sea of influence, point-scoring, and petty bickering that has consumed Washington.
Yet, in spite of all the doubt and disappointment -- or perhaps because of it -- people have stood for change.
Unfortunately, our opponents in the other party continue to embrace yesterday's policies and they will continue to employ yesterday's tactics -- they will try to change the subject, and they will play on fears and divisions to distract us from what matters to you and your future.
But those tactics will not work in this election.
They won't work because you won't let them.
I believe him, and I hope you do to. Those tactics will not work. Not on Daily Kos, not in the remaining primaries, and not in the General Election.
They won't work because we won't let them.