The Southern Dem

It's altogether fitting that the fight over detainee treatment is among Republicans. We know where (most) Democrats stand. I am grateful to the remaining moderates for their statesmenship and wish them success in this showdown over principle.

In a surprise diary by Armando at Daily Kos this weekend, regular readers were treated to as good an analysis of the Tipping Point phenomonen as I've seen in recent politics. Armando follows the story of a CT activist named "Swami" who jumped on Joe Lieberman's fatal kiss with the Preznit and turned it into a movement.

When we look back on Robin Hayes' spectacular loss to Larry Kissell, there will be many candidates for the 'tipping point' that did the job. One of them will be the tireless work of the Southern Dem. Another will be Larry's brilliant $1.22 campaign event.

What will the tipping point be for Chuck Taylor? Will it be self inflicted wounds like voting to crush kittens or his CAFTA lies? Or will it be the force of citizen activism like Taylorsucks.org? Or will it be the relentless drumbeat of Screwy Hoolie and his website empire? Or the sustained educational commitment of Appalachian voices?

I don't know what it will take to finally tilt the voters in NC-11 over to the side of sanity and integrity, but I do know this. We cannot ignore the power and influence of the mainstream media. Because no matter how much we talk to ourselves, we won't reach that critical tipping point until we spill outside the blogosphere to influence the reporters and editors at newspapers and broadcasters throughout the state. So keep those cards and letters flowing, folks. There's no time to waste.

I'm not going to identify anyone in the picture save for myself. I am the short one in front on the left. BlueNC actually had 11 of our bloggers/commenters in attendance at Larry Kissell's fundraiser in Raleigh. Todd was also there, but I couldn't find him for the picture.

Isn't this awesome? OK, so I probably have a much looser definition of family than a lot of you, but I figure there's enough love to go around.

More below the fold...