Campaign undertow or push-back brewing....

Last night I was at a local Democratic Party event at Karen Teja's home for the purposes of providing information and training for those who are interested in thinking about being a local candidate or campaign manager. There was a huge turnout, I suspect that some 50 or more persons who showed up including most of the local candidates for the presentation conducted by "Progressive Movement" a 501-C not-for-profit group that educates progressives on running for local political offices. Karen was a great hostess with a full cache of fine wines and imported beers plus the usual table faire of fancy appetizers/finer foods.

Most important were the private conversations I had with three local candidates who will be running for office, the names I will keep confidential but the content I will paraphrase. Each expressed anger or disgust, rejection and serious concern of the recent development the Presidential campaign took leading up to the Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont primaries. Specifically their angst was directed at the Clinton campaign and how they interpreted it would have on their own efforts in gaining voters for their races. Each expressed the hope and belief that the leaders of the State and National Party would step in and make the decision for Obama, even though they stated they were neutral until this point. That neutrality is being challenged not because of likes or dislikes, but how the campaign has turned and the negative actions and behavior of the Clinton campaign.

More specifically all three pointed to how Clinton essentially endorsed McCain over Obama as qualified to be Commander-in-Chief, thereby dissing a fellow Democratic Party candidate and colleague. This was unconscionable to quote one persons individual expression, where "scorched earth" politics has no place inside Democratic contests. All three feared that the next six weeks of this kind of campaigning was going to lead to the destruction of the entire ticket for the Democratic Party. Thus all three stated that the superdelegates needed to take a strong lead role and get behind Obama for the good of the party and the ticket.

Now what can any of us do. Write. Write a note to all the Colorado superdelegates expressing the same thought and their responsibility to the party and the entire ticket instead of political loyalty or trying to make the safe call at a time when leadership demands action. Here is the contact information to our Colorado superdelegates.

Obama:
Congressman Ed Perlmutter
Dan Slater, Colorado Democratic Party 1st Vice-Chair
Debbie K. Marquez, Colorado DNC
J.W. Postal, DNC

Clinton:
Congresswoman Diana DeGette
Mannie Rodríguez, DNC
Ramona Martinez, DNC - At Large (appointed by Howard Dean)
Maria Handley, DNC - At Large (appointed by Howard Dean)

Undeclared:
U.S. Senator Ken Salazar
Congressman Mark Udall
Congressman John Salazar
Former Gov. Roy Romer (DNC member as past DNC Co-Chair)
Governor Bill Ritter
Pat Waak - State Party Chair”