Yesterday, we got an e-mail from a Democratic group that said,"Don't let 2008 be a repeat of 2004!" Well. what about ?Don't let 2005 be a repeat of 2004?!?? Last time we checked, 2005 comes before 2008. The point is, this is not the time to be thinking about which Democrat (Mark Warner? Wes Clark? John Edwards?) represents the best choice for 2008. Right now, right here in Virginia, we've got an honest-to-goodness barnburner of a governor's race, culminating in just 25 days! For Democrats across Virginia, and for that matter across the country, this race should be at the top of their political priority lists, not dreaming about what's going to happen 3 years from now.
C'mon, Democrats, politics is not like the Olympics, where you train for your chance to compete every 4 years. That's simply not the way you win elections. In contrast, the Republicans understand that winning in politics means making an effort day in and day out, not just in national election years.
The bottom line is that if we Democrats want to win, we need to work at winning EVERY SINGLE DAY. We need to shift public opinion to make sure people are aware of Republican corruption. But even more, we need to be pushing our own, Democratic values. Here in Virginia, that means a huge effort for Tim Kaine over the next 3 1/2 weeks. With Tim Kaine, we all win.
But if, heaven forbid, Jerry "Hitler Ad" Kilgore is elected, then Virginia's 7 million+ residents will lose big time. Just imagine 4 years of Jerry Kilgore's Virginia version of Tom DeLay and Karl Rove - corruption, corporate giveaways, deficit spending, cuts to education, and a general isolation and detachment from the rest of the planet In sum, voting for Jerry Kilgore risks turning Virginia into Texas on the Chesapeake. No thanks.
Today, Virginia is strong in large part due to the strong Democratic leadership of Gov. Mark Warner. And Virginia can remain strong for the next 4 years under the leadership of Warner's loyal lieutenant, Tim Kaine. Or we can go back into the ditch with Jerry Kilgore. The choice is clear. That's why I say SCREW 2008, first let's WIN IN 2005! Because you know what? If we lose in 2005, and we lose in 2006, then 2008 might not even matter anymore! Today, we must help Tim Kaine save Virginia from the corruption and incompetence of Jerry Kilgore. Once that is done, we can all turn our attentions to helping retake Congress in 2006. Then, the White House in 2008. But first things first.
That's why we say to all the armchair Democrats out there, dreaming of 2008 while the Republicans kick our butts in 2005 and 2006: get off YOUR butts and help out right here, right now in Virginia. Radical right-wing Republicans simply assume that we Democrats are complacent, practically in hibernation. They're counting on EXACTLY that to sneak Jerry Kilgore into the Virginia governor's mansion where he can help further their nefarious agenda. That's why, with just over 3 weeks left in Tim Kaine's campaign, we say, let's surprise them; don't let 2005 be a repeat of 2004!
-- Dan and Lowell