It feels like only yesterday that I was getting an e-mail from Josh Chernila asking me if I was interested in helping him, Lowell, Lee, and a couple of other people in a "Draft James Webb" movement.  10-11 months later, Jim Webb is Senator-elect.

Congratulations everybody.  We've done it.  We've done our part to bring democracy to the people.  This was the people's candidate, and now the people's Senator.

I totally cried tonight.  I feel you.  :)

And tonight, I am going to have the best sleep I have had in a long time (12 years)...

I promise you, if you watch the long Webb video that end's with "I won't back down", you'll get all misty AGAIN. :)

to make sure each copy was recorded correctly for the house party mailings.

I was waking up my partner speaking the words in the middle of the night.

"If he doesn't believe it....it won't HAPPEN."

"Jim Webb is not bought."

"I personally don't know why he would want to run."

... back from when everyone said we were tilting at windmills.

Emails back and forth to Jim, and to Bob Kerrey, meetings, the website and pledge drive, the "package" we gave to Jim with our initial inputs... We didn't have anyone who knew how to do the paperwork to file with the Secretary of the Senate to become a candidate, so I read up on it and learned how...

The "party crashers" evening, when we bought a table at the JJ Dinner in Richmond to get some visibility...

Battling the anti-Webb trolls on the blogs during the primary...

I think Lowell should write an article at some point about this rather remarkable story.

He's "Cinderalla Man"!  What a great story this has been. Very inspiring.

I remember that first picture of Webb in that tan sweater, what a journey.

I was contacted (Feb late?) because I'm an activist who knew a lot about Miller and I was like "Webb who"?  Basically got involved simply to make sure trade, offshore outsourcing, insourcing, labor arbitrage was not given a seat in the US Senate or given representation to influence Democratic economic policy...

I also expected Webb to abandon our issues 100% after the primary to be frank, so I was quite shocked when I saw some position statements from him on H-1B, guest workers and so on.

Then...I became a believer because he could have so easily gotten the corporate big buck campaign money and sell us out!

But, I also received a great learning experience on how a few core, very bright, politically astute people (you guys) plus finding a candidate who is not a douche bag (sorry but some really are), to run in a race deemed "impossible" and how you all just changed the entire course of politics in VA!

Nothing makes me more ill than a corporate DLC Democrat.

Jim is on the definitely on the peoples side.  As is Sherrod Brown (thank you Ohio!)

Jim Webb is the O.G. Netroots Candidate.

("O.G." = "Original Gangsta")

reading in WaPo when Webb first announced his candidacy in March and I knew he was something special. He started out with no staff, no money, no party backing, held no office and not many people knew him. Well that darkhorse candidate, the most inspiring of all the Senate Dem winners this year, is now the junior senator!

Yeah, I did some blogging.  I stuffed envelopes, I did phone calls.  Maybe this weekend I will put together a reflection on my own connection and post it here and at dailykos.

But I consider myself a minor participant.  I am glad that I was around, that I got to know the people who were so important in making this happen.

And I look forward to being represented again by a great Democratic Senator.

I wrote the following as a post to Chap Petersen's "(Pre-Election) Post Election Analysis".  I hope it is OK let my words do "double-duty".

I wrote:

*** When I got wind of the possibility of a Webb candidacy, my heart soared.

I thank my Dad, who in the mid 1980's said to me, "There is a young guy named Jim Webb who is one of the most impressive people I've heard in a long time."  When I said, "Isn't he a Republican?"  My Dad said, "He is beyond party.  He is bright, straight talking, and the most refreshing voice I've heard in years".

My Dad died 2 years ago.  He was the most articulate and knowledgeable person on things historical and political I'd ever known, and a strong Democrat. I knew that my dad did not give such accolades easily and I learned he was right on Jim Webb.

When Jim Webb threw his hat into this Senate race, I became active like I've never been before.  I'd awaken at night just  imagining a race between Webb and Allen, the debates, the efforts to smear, the hot air talking points against the solid, thought-filled ideas. How great a tonic Jim Webb has been for my cynism and how great he will be for the growing partisan divide and shameful pattern of politics we've been witnessing.

God bless Jim Webb for offering his service again and God bless all who encouraged him to take the leap.***

Addendum: I know that somewhere out there my dad is smiling at our new Senator-Elect.

Or do I go too far? I asked my wife for Born Fighting for my Birthday one year ago from last Sunday. I come from Campbell's who made the journey along the mountains here in Virginia from the tidewater in the 18th century then finally ended up out in Webb City, MO (the irony, eh?) south of Joplin. I was thrilled to read Jim's new book that related so much to my ancestry and to understand the stubbornness in my family.

In the 1980s my brother graduated from the Naval Academy the year that Jim Webb was Secretary of the Navy. I knew him from being in Naval Junior ROTC (that was plenty for me) at the same time. Webb's writing then had shaped our views of military service and war, and my own desire to become a writer.

After reading Born Fighting and reading in February that Jim was seriously talking about a run, I was stunned and so happy that he was going to run on a platform straight out of the book and the culture. I was thrilled to do the tiny bit that I did. The rest, as they say, was history.

Lowell should definitely write a book on this thing.  The greatest upset in recent Virginia history, and the first real success of the Democratic Netroots.

I'd say, ask Jim to help write it, but I think he's busy the next six years!

At the time I just didn't want Allen to run unopposed since his goal was definitely 2008, and I couldn't stand the thought of another "fake cowboy" on the GOP ticket.

Little did I know what a gift Jim would be, not only to bloody up Sen. Allen, but to ultimately save America :)

Thank you Team RK !!

This has been the most amazing experience.  Our accomplishment was an extaordinary group effort.  While we had a superhuman core group, there were so many people who gave huge amounts of their time this year.

I think that a number of us are critical to telling the whole story.  My first exchange with Jim Webb was in the fall of 2004.  I look forward to working with others on putting our story out and illustrating the potential of individuals to make a difference.

What a year!

Lets Party!

Lee Diamond

If any plans are made for raising cane by Raising Kaine, send the details!

I have been voting for decades but this is my first election where I went out and campaigned.  What a start !!
You fellow campaigners gave me some great suggestions to carry out and I think we were all an inspiration to each other.  That letter from Webb's commanding officer in Vietnam was a knockout.  I printed 250 copies of it and passed them out with campaign brochures.  Let's pat ourselves on the back, great job.  Congratulations to Jim Webb, he will make an outstanding Senator.  We already got rid of Rumsfeld within 24 hours.  What a great start.

!!!!!!! WE AND AMERICA AND THE TROOPS WON !!!!!!!