The formula is simple: DON'T APOLOGIZE, DON'T HOLD BACK.

[Chichiri]

From an email by Howard Dean:

---BEGIN---

Marine Major Paul Hackett ran for Congress in a special election in the most Republican district in Ohio. Republicans vowed to "bury" him, pundits wrote him off, and the conventional wisdom asked why Democrats would even bother to put up a fight.

But then something happened. With the infrastructure of local organizers we're building in Ohio and every other state, the most Republican district in Ohio became the most competitive district in Ohio -- a district where Bush won in 2004 by a margin of two to one. We energized thousands of grassroots volunteers and small donors in Ohio and across the country. We made our stand and we fought.

No, Paul Hackett didn't get elected to Congress yesterday. But he received 48.2 percent of the vote in a district where the Democratic candidate received only half that in the last four elections.

The formula is simple. Paul Hackett didn't apologize for being a Democrat, didn't hold back from criticizing a president who has failed to lead in Iraq and at home, and took a strong Democratic message into the heart of a Republican stronghold.

---END---

[havocmom]

1. Absolutely!

:thumbsup:

[babylonsister]

2. All Dems need to heed these words! nt

[emulatorloo]

3. A kick for Howard Dean Paul Hackett and all plain spoken Dems

:kick: :dem: :kick:

[Rude Horner]

4. I agree completely.

It seems like the republican strategy is to make Dems feel we have to apologize for what we say. Screw that. It's time to put THEM on the fuckin' defensive for a change! I wish to God more Dems would just start calling them on all their bullshit and lies. Don't let them get away with this shit!!

[Chichiri]

6. Amen. Put THEM on the defensive!

[demgurl]

14. I have started writing daily emails to friends and family.

I do not care how they feel. I know I am right and I am going to keep pounding them!

demgurl

[Raksha]

22. Exactly what I've been saying for years!

Put THEM on the defensive! God knows they've got plenty to be defensive about--WHY haven't the Dems been calling them on it?

[SammyWinstonJack]

5. We need more Hacketts or our current crop of Leaders

need listen up!

[WindRavenX]

7. This must become our mantra

I used to appoligize for being a scientist.
Not any more, baby!

[yorkiemommie1]

8. kick

good message.

[AuntPatsy]

9. This man needs more air time for those with limited access

to newsworthy issues....

[sandnsea]

10. 3 more things

Be sure you have a media exposing the opposition's failures.
Be sure you keep the national party out of the picture.
And always always run an Iraq War Vet.

[cascadiance]

11. We need Hackett to run again someplace...

Whether it's a state office in Ohio or someplace else for congress where he's not against such a huge Republican constituency. With that much support, he should be in politics someplace doing the work for the good folks!

[Al-CIAda]

12. .

:thumbsup:

[Jade Fox]

13. Thank you!

Why can't the freaking Democrats get this throught their heads???

[walldude]

15. Some guy sitting for Shultz today took up Ed's moderate

stance and claimed that the reason Hackett didn't win was because he insulted the president. He said that if Hackett had not called * an S.O.B and a Chickenhawk then he probably would have won. See this is the problem with freakin moderates. The way I see it Hackett pulled 48% "because" he spoke his mind(and the truth) and not in spite of it.

[Raksha]

23. Yeah, some freeper on another board tried that too.

They know good and damn well Hackett did as well as he did BECAUSE he called the SOB chickenhawk an SOB chickenhawk! Even this late in the day, they still think they can con us into believing milquetoast "moderation" is a winning strategy for Dems.

[ninkasi]

30. You are so right...

Speaking up, without apology, was what created such a close race. Is the answer so simple that it evades our leaders? Speak up, don't back down, and don't apologize. With more like Dean and Hackett, we can take control of the Congress, and hopefully, the presidency, and begin the long and painful process of making amends to the rest of the world, and those here in this country who have suffered due to Neocon/Fundy idiocy.

[Just Me]

16. Frankly, we must TEAR DOWN the power-mongering regime.

IOW Beat up the damn bullies!!!

Take a stand for both the people and the truth. JUST DO IT!!!!

Re-define politics, AT WILL!!!!

Fight these power-mongering bastards TO THE END!!!!

THIS IS WAR!!!! WE MUST FIGHT THIS WAR TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY AND CITIZENS FROM THE CORPORACULTIST TYRANTS!!!!

Get it?

[RagAss]

20. Demonize Cheney and Rove especially

Leader won't be running for office anymore. The other 2 will remain active and essentially run the party. The time to question their authority and future plans is now. Hold nothing back or we stay in this freaking nightmare for a total of 16 years. And this is only year number 5 !!!!!!

[stepnw1f]

17. Now That Will Win Elections, Understand Biden?

You defend your peers when they make a stand and criticize an asshole like Bush... ok? Good.

[jsamuel]

18. Don't Apologize, Don't hold back, STAND UP FOR SOMETHING!

[SeattleGirl]

19. Abso-freekin-lutely!!!

I don't apologize for being a Dem/liberal/progressive, and it pisses me off to no end that those folks in Congress who are supposed to represent us do that! Don't they realize that the more they cower and apologize, the more they (and we) will get beat up on?

NO APOLOGIES!!!!!!! NO HOLDING BACK!!!!!!! TELL THE TRUTH!!!!!!

There, I feel better.....

[Lannes]

21. Great Post

This election showed that we can change some people's minds even in a heavily republican district.We just have to do a better job of getting the message across.

[eridani]

24. Ground Control to Major Paul--

--we still need an audit of this election.

I don't believe the results myself. They are certainly plausible, and might even be true. But Clermont County is where people were caught putting stickers over punch holes for Kerry in Nov. 2004, and Warren County is where there was no oversight whatsoever of the counting process because they put our a fake terror alert. If he believes that similar crap was not pulled against him yesterday, I have a bridge to sell him, real cheap. A full audit might still have resulted in a narrow loss, but I refuse to believe any result that doesn't have one.

[Ilsa]

25. Amen! That was a complaint I heard about from wishy-washy voters

who couldn't decide between Bush and Kerry. They said it finally fell to the flip-flop thing and perceived wishy-washiness. If Dems would stand strong and not back down or apologize, they'd look alot better.

[karlrschneider]

26. DAMN RIGHT. They say it takes a 2x4 to get a donkey's attention,

and sometimes that's about right...but it takes a fuckin' railroad tie to wake up an elephant!

(Don't flame me for the metaphors, I'd never strike an animal...)

[Kazak]

27. I'm sensing an interesting mid-term season coming up...

This could get fun. :thumbsup:

[steve2470]

28. the good Doctor and I agree completely !

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4248825

[staticstopper]

29. Wow!

Keep Fighting!

[bettyellen]

31. kick

[Swamp Rat]

32. Geaux Howard Dean!!!

I personally do not believe Schmidt won. The election was stolen.