by E J Zipprich [courtesy of Blog for America]

The peace vigil Wednesday evening attracted over 50 people here in Red Bank.

It was a fine showing of a coalition of the willing -- to brave the rainy weather.

The UUC Social Action Committee, Monmouth for Democracy, MoveOn and another organizations were represented and the fact that more horns were tooted as cars drove by proves that this illegal war is not supported by Americans.

Thanks for coming out to support our troops.

Bring 'em home!

by Bob Brigham [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Moveon has 575,000 California activsts:

Spurred by John Edwards's withdrawal from the race on Wednesday, MoveOn surveyed a sample of its members to gauge endorsement interest, according to a source with knowledge of the group's operations. Then MoveOn set a deadline of 11 am Thursday for members to back a virtual endorsement vote. If a majority support the idea, virtual balloting will run overnight, open only to the group's 3.2 million activists, and an endorsement could be announced by Friday.

Your ballot will be hitting your inbox shortly. Looking at the movement in the Daily Kos poll, I can see Obama meeting the revised, 2/3 threshold.

by Lucas O'Connor [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Via TPM , word of internal polling from Jackie Speier that shows her with a huge 30 point lead over incumbent Tom Lantos.  Speier's camp quotes a 57%-27% lead over Lantos is a straight "who would you support" poll of the 12th district.

Rep. Lantos, as of October filings, has nearly $1.4 million cash on hand and it's looking like he might need to start using it if he wants to hold this seat.  He's been increasingly crotchety lately, condemning free speech in the name of MoveOn, blasting visiting Dutch legislators for not being upset enough about the Holocaust and calling German Chancellor Gerhard Schr?der a political prostitute.

The goodwill and name recognition that Speier built up during her primary run for Lt. Governor last year seem to be serving her well out of the gate.  I'm sure Lantos will bounce back from numbers like these, especially once the incumbent protection kicks in.  But if these numbers prove to be remotely accurate, it's gonna be a heckuva race on the peninsula.

by [courtesy of Blog for America]

One of the lessons taught in the DFA Training Academy (I attended the one in Tampa this past summer) is the need to form a cohesive, compelling message, a story about why we are Democrats and, more specifically, Progressives.

It can be harder than it sounds. My favorites are, "I am a Democrat because diversity is our virtue." and "Progressives are about the future. We are the future of the Democratic party because we envision America at its best."

In order to secure key victories next year, our candidates, yours truly included, must establish our message and hone it until it cuts like a knife. Fortunately, we now have some help. Our allies at the Center For American Progress have created 4 television spots which contrast us against our opposition. Here's my favorite:

by Bob Brigham [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I'm guessing that at tonight's Calitics' Actblue Celebrations there will be a lot of discussion about the votes to condemn MoveOn. The CA delegation split 50-50 in the senate and 16 yea and 17 nay in the house -- wedged successfully by the GOP in half. After the flip is the scorecard.

by Lucas O'Connor [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

In a direct slap in the face to anyone who's ever felt that free speech or the right to protest the government are, you know, Constitutional imperatives, Susan Davis voted today to condemn the Petraeus/Betray us MoveOn ad.  That's what your congress is doing.  Not ending a war.  Not passing a law that will make people healthier, wealthier, wiser, or safer.  Spitting on free speech.  Thank you to Bob Filner and the 79 Democrats who stood with him for getting this vote right, and no thanks to the 195 Republicans and the 145 other Democrats in the House who joined Susan Davis in telling the nation to sit down, shut up, and leave governance to the grownups without passionate public input.  If you think MoveOn was disrespectful to the troops by running an ad in the New York Times Ms. Davis, where exactly does paying for the troops to get shot at rank?

It's time to get angry. Congress is telling people what they're supposed to say and not say.  I don't remember learning about that congressional duty in government class.

Cross posted from San Diego Politico

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Working Californians blogs]

MoveOn held their climate change townhall this weekend and numbers are starting to come out from both the straw poll and the attendees. It was the largest MoveOn event since 2004, with over 100,000 people at 1,300 house parties. There is immense interest from activist Democrats in what the presidential contenders have to say on climate change.

Obama got a lot of kudos for his bold moves on the environment over the weekend, and broke some new ground during the townhall, announcing a proposal for carbon auctions to fund alternative energy research.

Some activists pronounced themselves delighted with Obama’s words aired over the weekend.

The president of Clean Air Watch, Frank O’Donnell, said Obama’s support of carbon auctions “shows a terrifically enlightened attitude.” O’Donnell noted that a recent Congressional Budget Office study found that buying and selling emissions allowances would produce long-term economic benefits.

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