Pony Up. Because He's the Nominee, That's Why.

OK, I know it's been a long time.  2004 seems almost lost in the mists of history.  I wasn't posting here then, I wasn't even reading blogs then.  Thank God, because what I've read about the Dean/Kerry/Edwards/Clark wars makes me not sorry I missed them.

So did you have a moment here, when you understood what was at stake?  When you all agreed that primaries are not like general elections?  Because during a primary arguing among ourselves is part of the deal.  At that point we have the luxury of asking candidates to compete for our support.

He's the nominee.  You don't have to like him.  You might have voted for someone else.  But if you are here, I am going to assume it is because you want what I want.  You want Obama in the White House.  You want a frickin' tidal wave of blue washing through the land, picking up lots of new House seats, Senate seats, Governorships, maybe even flipping one or two state legislatures.

You want it?  Pony up.  You should be holding nothing back.

Because he's the nominee, that's why.

Let's face it, when was the last time we had a chance this good to win the White House?   A really, really good chance, if we don't let up, get distracted or get cocky?  You want to blow that?

And when was the last time you had a national nominee committing his own election resources to the downticket races this clearly?  Who wants to put paid staff in all 50 states?  States where he will win but where he can help others?  Isn't that enough for you?  

And when was the last time we had a chance for a full-on political realignment that could last a generation?

You seriously want to throw that away, because of one vote?  Because of something he said?  Or didn't say?  Because of the ups and downs of a particular week of a campaign news cycle?

If you have money to spare, whether it is $2300 or $23, I cannot imagine what you are still waiting for.  

If you have time to give, whether it is the next four months of your life or four hours on a phonebank between now and November, why would you hold back?

You think I'm picking up your slack?  No way.  I'm already maxed out in almost every way you can envision.

Oh, I see.  You are making a point.  Yes, well, good for you.  But I don't have that luxury.  I'm making a future for myself, for my two kids, for my community and my planet.

And the only thing worse than sitting this one out, is to say you are sitting it out, in the most public way possible, to maximize the effect on others to hold back -- when you have every intention of giving your money and time at some unnamed time in the future.

But hey, you made your point.  

Here's mine.  The primary is over.   This is the general election.  This is when we are supposed to be about electing Democrats.  We have a truly great one at the top of the ticket.  He's not perfect.  Nor is he a sellout doing anything to win.  You know that, you're smart enough to know that.  

Oh, and just so you know.  I'm not starry-eyed at all.  I see clear as day.  I'm ruthless, actually.  I want to win.  And I want to win big enough that we can claim that progressive mandate.  Obama may win without you.  But the bigger the win, the more likely it is he can push the kind of changes we need.  The more House and Senate seats we pick up on his coattails, the stronger the legislative coalition he has to work with.   In fact, donating to Obama also supports downticket races.  He is paying staff in states that he may not win where there are other critical seats in play.  We're a team, now.  Team blue.  And I'm a team player.  

Say what you want.  Do what you want.  It's a free country.  But your choices aren't free.  They come with a cost.  I'm with Mike Lux on this one:

I will admit right now that this is a place where the old-school politico in me takes over: I see no choice other than to be totally, thoroughly in the tank for the Democratic Presidential nominee in the five months before the election. I'm happy to join with Matt and Chris and the progressive netroots on many things- progressive primary challenges like Lamont and Donna Edwards; exposing the Bush Dogs; taking on Democrats when they screw up on issues in general; hammering away at Dems to do the right thing when tough votes come down. All of those tactics are ones I'm down for. But in the last five months of a Presidential general, I get totally focused on one thing: winning the damn election. The stakes are simply too high. Winning the election won't solve all our problems, or give us a suddenly progressive America, but it at least gives us a chance to make progress. If I have to swallow my anger on an issue I care about, well, to be blunt, I'm down for that, too.

Time to pony up.  He's the nominee, that's why.

And here's how:

Donate to the Obama campaign (where they are aiming for 150,000 new donors by July 4).

Take Action.

Support the Obamajority.

Join Kossacks for Obama.

Disclaimer:I am a volunteer for the Barack Obama campaign in California.  When I write hear I speak only for myself and not the campaign.  The campaign does not have any input on my diaries - the ideas and all the words in them are my own.