I've been truly amazed and impressed over the last week watching this community rally to try to save Kennedy's Senate seat for the Democrats.
As much as we've all fought back and forth about strategy, policy, politics -- and don't forget meta -- many diarists and commenters on this blog and bloggers across the netroots recognized what was at stake yesterday. I watched folks on every side of our debates set it all aside and focus on the task at hand: making calls, knocking doors, mobilizing volunteers, promoting action and posting key updates, reaching out to voters in Massachusetts, and supporting the GOTV ground game in every way possible.
Apparently I wasn't the only person who saw that. Today I got an email from Jeremy Bird, Deputy Director of Organizing for America, who wants to say "thank you" to the netroots. The text and a few additional thank you's of my own below the fold.
Here's what Jeremy asked me to pass along on his behalf:
Thank you for all your organizing work during the get-out-the-vote efforts in Massachusetts. We know an enormous number of activists from the netroots stepped up and sacrificed time, money and energy -- on and offline -- with the efforts in MA.
Like so many of you, I am deeply disappointed with the outcome of the race. There is no denying how painful a loss it was.
At the same time, I am encouraged by folks on this site and throughout the netroots community. I'm more encouraged by your resolve today and by the fighting attitude we have seen online and in the faces of volunteers in OFA offices across the country.
We have a lot to learn from our work on this election. Now, we can either roll over or we can continue fighting. I believe we can all be stronger and better prepared for the critical work ahead in 2010 because of it.
One thing is true: while the outcome was not what we wanted, working together with this community was one positive to take away
And I will just add my own thanks. Thank you to every person who made a call, knocked a door, emailed a friend in Massachusetts, tweeted the call tool link or the legal hotline #, entered data, hosted a phonebank, or helped in any way with the Coakley GOTV effort.
A special thanks also to the many, many people who posted action diaries on this race. I've got a list of the ones I saw - and there were so many I know it's incomplete. So please post additions in the comments and I'll do my best to update.
Tip of the hat to:
AnotherMassachusettsLiberal
bbxcountry25
billssha
bkamr
BrainWarp
Electablog
Elise
FrederickClarkson
Kath25
msblucow
NoFortunateSon
grannyhelen
Mindoca
pamelabrown
PaulLoeb
paxpi
Populista
SenecaDoane
slinkerwink
v2aggie2
WarrenS
And also to the frontpagers I saw linking to action tools and diaries, including Laura Clawson, Steve Singiser and McJoan.
Thanks. Because for the change we want to see, and especially come November, we're going to have to do it again and again.