No Blue America live chat this week. We'll be back next week with Trevor Thomas, the progressive pro-Choice candidate running in MI-3. This week, though, we want to tell you about Blue America's new Independent Expenditures Committee. You can find it here and, unlike our other ActBlue pages, it isn't raising money for candidates. Instead it's raising money for actions-- like TV and radio ads and billboards and get out the vote efforts. First goal-- making sure voters in WI-1 know there's an actual alternative to Paul Ryan this year.

We started complaining that DC Democrats were giving Paul Ryan an easy pass even before Rahm Emanuel first took over the DCCC. The DCCC never-- and I mean never-- does anything to defeat Ryan in his own district. They talk smack about him everywhere in America-- same as they do with Boehner and Cantor-- but they never challenge any of these galoots in the one place where it really counts: back home. And even if you could say that Boehner's district and Catnor's district are two red to bother with-- McCain won Boehner's district with 60% and won in Cantor's with 53%-- you sure can't say that about Ryan's. A traditionally Democratic district, Obama beat McCain 51-48%. The only role the DCCC has played in WI-1 is to help a series of unelectable sad cases win the primaries against progressives-- and then disappear from the scene.

It didn't get any better when Chris Van Hollen took over the DCCC and, so far, it's about par for the course with Steve Israel's DCCC. The one change is that a viable, progressive candidate, Rob Zerban, actually got the nomination without a DCCC-backed primary opponent. There's ever a rumor that they may put him on their Red-to-Blue program. Unfortunately a wealthy Democratic donor told me that when she asked Israel if it was OK to throw a fundraiser for Rob, he immediately nixed the idea.

So far the DCCC has put up one pathetic, generic billboard-- the same one they're putting up in various places around the country. They put it where it will get no visibility-- and in a traditionally Democratic area-- and they neglected to even put Zerban's name on it-- since name ID at this point is the single most important factor for him in the race. And who's that guy? How lame are these people who waste tens of millions of dollars every year and lose to the even lamer Republicans?

Help us put up a billboard that means something and will be seen by people in the district. We have to show the DCCC how it's done. I wonder if they're realize why we put Zerban's name on the board-- and why we used a woman instead of a man. There is no winnable race more important than knocking off Wall Street and Insurance Industry darling Paul Ryan. And Zerban is the man who can do it. In fact, there's only one way to beat Paul Ryan-- and that's to elect Rob Zerban. We're lucky we have such a good candidate running and that the DCCC didn't slip in some corporate shill or anti-Choice Blue Dog. If the DCCC won't help, let's pitch in ourselves. And if you know anyone wealthy... there are no limits to the amount anyone can give. I mean even a million dollars is OK! On the other hand, there's no such thing as a contribution too small. So, one last time, here's the new Blue America I.E. Committee page.

The Blue America live guest this Tuesday is Dr. David Gill, the super-progressive prairie populist who just won a tough primary battle in central Illinois against a Machine-backed corporate conservative. Now he has to face another conservative, this time a crusty old Republican, Tim Johnson. This isn't the first time David has run against Johnson. But it's the first time they're running in an evenly matched district. In the previous races it was a 60-40 GOP district. After the recent redistricting it leans blue by one point. And Dr. Gill isn't just some garden variety Democrat. Wait 'til you meet him at C&L on Tuesday!

Actually... don't wait. Someone asked him why he keeps running. I liked his explanation. I think you will too.

"I do this for Charlotte. And I do it for her daughter, her granddaughters and her great-granddaughters.

Charlotte sent me a letter with her story and a modest contribution on March 13. She told me she had been a rape victim as a teenager. She didn't have access to emergency contraception. Abortion services weren't safe and legal. She was fortunate to find a courageous doctor.

Now, Charlotte is 80 and she never wants any American woman to face the lack of health care options she faced.

The Republican War on Women is an attempt to roll back our nation to the 1940s. As an emergency physician, I've seen first-hand what happens when women and girls don't have safe reproductive health options.

My position is clear and simple. I am 100% pro-choice. I support access to emergency contraception for all women who need it. I believe that insurance plans should be required to cover birth control, just as they cover diabetes medications or blood pressure pills.

Some have suggested that it's time to move on and stop talking about these issues, now that I have won the Primary.

I disagree. As you can see from this video clip from the MoveOn rally in Springfield a few days ago, I'm still speaking out.

My opponent six-term incumbent Congressman Tim Johnson and his colleagues in Washington are endangering the lives of American women with their extreme views.

Tim Johnson isn't consistent on much, but he has remained steadfast in opposing critical health services for women. He wants to cut access to reproductive services. He is against women making their own choices about their own bodies. He wants to limit access to birth control for millions of American women. I refuse to let Tim Johnson and his conservative friends win this war that they started.

...I'm focused on the fight to defeat Tim Johnson and the dangerous conservative movement that is seeking to roll back women's rights 50 years.

Dr. Gill is asking C&L readers to contribute to his campaign for a simple reason-- for 80-year old Charlotte and for the millions of other women who remember what it was like before they had access to safe and legal reproductive health services. You can do it here at the Blue America ActBlue page, where David is the newest addition.

Remember when Patrick McHenry tried to humiliate Elizabeth Warren at a committee hearing? I believe Patsy Keever is about to turn the tables on North Carolina's tiny little reactionary. If she beats him, Congress will suffer one less corporate shill. Tuesday, Patsy will be joining us for a live discussion here at C&L-- 2pm in North Carolina/11am PT.

The first we ever heard of North Carolina state Rep. Patsy Keever was a year ago when she was running for the legislature and had been pointed out by Progressive Kick as a future political leader of consequence. At the time we wrote this of their effort to elect progressives to state legislatures:

All their candidates are progressive leaders with real backbones, unlike some Democratic members of Congress who we’ll have to hold our noses to vote for in order to keep a majority. Many of the candidates in this effort will be the progressive congressional candidates of the future. Does this sort of thing work, you ask? Let me share a couple of success stories with you, direct from candidates who have benefited. Patsy Keever is currently the progressive Democratic nominee for North Carolina House District 115. After winning her primary last month she wrote Progressive Kick that “I originally decided to run for the NC Legislature when I read in the local newspaper that my current legislator was ranked at the very bottom of all NC legislators by the nonpartisan organization, Environment NC…. I was up against all the 'powers that be' in the state, and it was a real shot in the arm to get the surprise support from Progressive Kick at a time when we were unable to get support from the groups I had expected to have… we won our primary by a 60 - 40 margin against an entrenched incumbent who outspent me five to one…”

Blue America has been urging Patsy to run for Congress for the last several months and recently she decided to. The Republican legislature has gerrymandered her district so that she would now take on ridiculous right-wing clown Patrick McHenry, a dedicated servant of the 1% from his perch on the House Financial Services Committee-- and someone with a very sleazy past that has never been adequately examined. The DCCC is pushing a Blue Dog-type, Asheville mayor Terry Bellamy, who would fit right in with Heath Shuler and Mike McIntyre, the two North Carolina Blue Dogs who stick with Boehner and Cantor on almost everything important that comes before the House. The new boundary lines are quite a bit friendly for Democrats than the old lines. In fact this is how the party registration breaks down:

Democrats: 39.3%
Republicans: 35.6%
Independents: 25%

It has long been a contention of Blue America that Congress has enough lawyers and enough millionaires-- in fact, way more than enough. Patsy has a different background and it's what has motivated her political career. Before winning office, she was a school teacher. I asked if that was important in her political development. She responded with this guest post:

Public Education-- The Path To Social Justice

-by Patsy Keever (D-NC)

As a teacher, I have many causes, but my real passion is social justice, and public education is the path to a just society. Public education is the backbone of our democracy. The majority of my 25 years of teaching was in 8th grade social studies and language arts, although I have taught students in every grade from kindergarten to soldiers in the Army. Teaching was a career which I loved, but the lingering illness and subsequent death of my husband ended that career prematurely. He was a Vietnam veteran who was exposed to Agent Orange in 1970 and developed a very aggressive case of prostate cancer 30 years later. When I realized that he was never going to get better and that I probably didn’t have much time left with him, I left the teaching profession.

Although I am no longer teaching, my passion for leveling the playing field remains as strong as ever. I still fight for those children who live in poverty, whose only chance of a better life is a good education. I still care about the students who need to be challenged and those who have far too many challenges at home. As a state and nation, we need to invest in our children from a very early age all the way through college and beyond if we want to develop citizens who can and will contribute to our society.

For 25 years I have watched the Republican party pick away at our public education system. They have tried to treat our schools as a business which turns out a product. It is not a business! It is a service our government provides in order to maintain a just society. The question is how do we develop each individual to reach his or her potential to be a functioning, successful member of the community. Vouchers and charter schools are not the answer. Defunding good programs and instituting unfunded mandates are not the answer. Adding more students to each classroom while decreasing support systems for teachers is not the answer. Teachers, parents, students, businesses, elected officials and entire communities must find ways to work together for the good of all. Our lives depend on it.

Investigative journalist Dina Rasor is now on the Buck McKeon beat—not good news for an embattled incumbent drowning in a series of serious scandals, some just ethical, but at least one also criminal. She's especially dangerous to McKeon, chair of the House Armed Services Committee, because he's more than just your run-of-the-mill, garden variety crook.

Rasor founded the Project on Military Procurement (now called the Project on Government Oversight, or POGO) to serve as a nonprofit, nonpartisan watchdog over military and related government spending. She knows where the bodies are buried—and she's well aware that the corruption and rot isn't just about Republicans, but that it has encompassed corrupt conservative Democrats as well. There's just something about conservatism and corruption that go hand-in-hand. Always has been, always will be.

Rasor claims in a blockbuster new post at Truthout that McKeon, whose rise to fame was engineered by his fealty to John Boehner, "has taken self-dealing to new heights and is having those same contractors contribute to his wife's campaign for the California legislature."

It comes as no surprise that McKeon has served as an in-house patsy for Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, General Dynamics, and other deep-pocketed defense contractors.

Another extraordinary investigative journalist, Lee Lang has exposed the connections between McKeon's bribe-vacuuming operation and his wife's campaign for the California state Assembly. She's getting money—and lots of it—from defense contractors who have never contributed to California legislative campaigns in the past.

Republic Report looked into the claim that Patricia’s defense industry contributors are simply local businesses, and found a startling pattern. Many of her defense lobbyist benefactors are first time California donors, while others appear to be reviving their California accounts only to help Patricia:

• The lobbying firm Beau Boulter, which represents drone manufacturers, gave Patricia McKeon $1,000. This is the first donation the firm has made in California.
• Joseph Kimmett, a government affairs executive with the defense contractor OshKosh, gave Patricia McKeon $500. OshKosh has no other recorded donations in California state politics.
• Cliff Madison Government Affairs, a lobbying firm in DC, gave $1,000 to Patricia McKeon. The firm has no other recorded donations in California state politics.
• The Fund for American Opportunity, a 527 political group run by Mark Valente, a lobbyist with defense contractor clients, gave $1,000 to Patricia McKeon. The Fund for American Opportunity has not given to any other California state politicians in recently years.
• Lockheed Martin gave Patricia McKeon $1,000. The donation was the only donation from the company to a California state legislature candidate in over a decade

.

Rasor's report paints an even bleaker picture for Mr. and Mrs. McKeon (as well as for their sons who they are trying to set up—mostly with limited suceess—in the family business).

Continue reading »

Tuesday, we'll be hosting the newest Blue America endorsee, Montana state Rep. Franke Wilmer, an extraordinary progressive legislator from Bozeman running for Montana's open at-large congressional seat. As I mentioned when I first met her last year, she's currently serving her third term in the state legislature where she has sponsored legislation on behalf of women’s rights, public employees, firefighters, teachers, tipped employees, unions, gay rights, American Indians, and veterans. Her work on behalf of veterans has been recognized twice by Veterans’ groups, most recently being named “Legislator of the Year” by the Vietnam Veterans of America Montana Council. She has the kind of remarkable record of legislative leadership that always interests Blue America.

Now she's a Full Professor at Montana State University teaching courses on International Human Rights, International Law, International Relations Theory and the Politics of War and Peace but just as important as her academic accomplishments and record of public service are her life experiences before completing her graduate degrees. In her early 20s, Franke was a divorced single mother with no child support and few prospects. All she knew was waitressing, so she relied on that again to support herself and her daughter and was determined to eventually complete her college degree. It took her 16 years, often working two jobs and even 2 years working as a carpenter. She finished her B.S. degree in political science with a minor in economics and with the help of scholarships completed a Master’s and Doctorate in 1990. “I know what it’s like not to be able to afford health insurance,” Franke said in a conversation with me last week. “I know what it’s like to take a pocket full of tips to the energy company to pay my heating bill.”

I ran for the legislature in 2006 and am running for Congress now for the same reason I became an academic-- as an expression of my activist commitment to use my time and talents to make the world more humane, more just, and with less preventable suffering. That commitment has primarily been focused on issues of human rights. Coming of age in the Civil Rights and anti-war era (I graduated from high school in 1968-- the spring of assassinations-- MLK and RFK) profoundly shaped my political views. In fact, in high school I was active in efforts to desegregate our town “teen center” and a restaurant owned by our mayor. So to fast-forward-- I have thought of my academic identity more in terms of being an “academic-activist” and as strange as it may sound, that’s probably the best way to think of my work in the legislature where I have sponsored bills on gender pay equity, to create a domestic partner registry, and calling on public speakers and educators to learn the names of Montana’s First Nations in their own indigenous languages.

Please join us Tuesday at 11am (PT), noon in Montana, for a live blogging session with Franke. And if you want to get a jump on the game, please consider contributing to her campaign at our Blue America ActBlue page here

Ken Aden is the only progressive candidate for Congress Blue America has endorsed this year in a deep red district. Arkansas' third CD, in the northwest corner of the state, has always been Republican as far as anyone can remember. The last Democrat who almost won was Bill Clinton... in 1974. And Ken is undaunted. As Digby hopes to explore with him at the live chat here on Tuesday-- 11am (PT), 1pm in Arkansas-- Ken is running a startling grassroots effort that should be a model for working class candidates-- who the DCCC refuses to support (they exclusively pick rich candidates or candidates with access to big money; i.e., not school teachers or truck drivers or almost anyone who's undergoing the same financial straits as the rest of us).

One of the first times I spoke with Ken he was busy helping organize Occupy Northern Arkansas. "I am a staunch and proud supporter of the Occupy Wall Street Movement," he told me... This is a true grassroots movement made up of young people, veterans, students, and folks from across the middle class just like me who are sick and tired of irresponsible corporations buying politicians of both parties while many in the government stand idly by and give corporate America the keys to the proverbial candy store. It's truly nauseating to know that so many politicians can be so easily bought, and not even loose an ounce of sleep over the fact that they are destroying everything which we hold dear. I firmly believe that more people need to become involved, and stand up for what is right! Corporate greed is the new pandemic in this country. The ratio of CEO pay to that of the average worker is a prime example of the kind of reckless behavior that corporations in this country are exercising on a daily basis. Just look at how many politicians Koch Industries has bought over the last ten years alone. As the next congressman from Arkansas I would support an amendment to destroy the destructive influence of Citizens United. The last time I checked, corporations are NOT and will never be real people.

If you can, please drop by Tuesday and meet Ken for yourself. Tomorrow afternoon he's formally file to be on the ballot and he's doing a money bomb to collect the nearly $3,000 he needs. If you can help, you can do it at the Blue America page. As Digby wrote to our members this evening: "Blue America endorsed Ken with great enthusiasm and we are spreading the good word about his grassroots strategic vision to progressive challengers across the country. We believe that this kind of creativity and energy can pay off. But he needs all the help we can give him to keep the campaign funded. He won't be able to match a corrupt Republican incumbent, not even close. But he has a good chance to win if he can put this plan into practice and defeat him with sharp grassroots tactics and hard work. Please donate here if you can."

On Tuesday Blue America will formally endorse Rep. Tammy Baldwin for the open Senate seat in Wisconsin. She joins Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren as candidates who meet our standards for what we expect from a U.S. Senator-- sorry Joe Manchin. Tuesday at 1pm (CST), 11 am here on the West Coast, Tammy will be joining us for a free form discussion of the campaign and the issues facing Wisconsin voters. When of the questions I asked her when we were still deciding whether or not to endorse in this race was about economic justice. "The gaggle of Republicans who would like to run against you," I pointed out, "seem to all be as eager as Paul Ryan to fundamentally change Medicare into an inadequate voucher program going forward and to privatize Social Security. I image this is going to be the crux of many debates once they finally manage to pick a candidate. Can you tell us how you differ from the Ryan/GOP approach on these two crucial issues?" This was the verbatim answer she gave us:

First, let me emphasize what you said: the Ryan Plan would fundamentally change Medicare as we know it for those 55 and younger.

I grew up under the care of my grandparents and in my adulthood, I was their caretaker. I know how important these programs are to our seniors, helping them cover everything from medication to groceries and rent.

For those in the workforce right now-- the middle class-- they’re under an incredible squeeze. They’re having to make tough decisions about how to spend their money and for us to pull the rug out from under them, to end that safety net, would be an immense wrong.

No matter the Republican nominee, I’ll be getting the word out about how important Medicare, Social Security, and other social safety nets are to keeping America strong. I’m happy to debate that with whomever emerges from the Republican primary foodfight.

The campaign announcement video up top puts that right into context. If you can, please consider making a contribution to Tammy's battle to hold a blue seat in Wisconsin for Democrats who have struggled there in recent elections. You'll find her campaign at the Blue America Senate ActBlue page.

Tuesday, Blue America will be officially endorsing Rob Zerban for Congress-- looks like I let the cat out of the bag-- and he'll be our special Valentine's Day live guest here at C&L (11am PT; 2pm ET).

When I spoke to him a few minutes ago I reminded him that to the Netroots and to progressive activists outside of the district, Paul Ryan is known to be one of the most extreme and dangerous members of the conservative movement. This view is shared by many in Wisconsin, of course, including in the First Congressional District, but there is a still a great deal of work to be done convincing undecided and independents. I wanted to know what Rob is doing to make sure voters in Janesville, Kenosha, Racine, the southern Milwaukee 'burbs and even Waukesha get that. He says "there are three main factors why people are energized about this race and fed up with Ryan-- Ryan's ideas, his behavior, and the movement in Wisconsin. My campaign is focusing on harnessing these opportunities, drawing clear contrasts, and delivering that message to voters." When I asked for details, they came out like a gusher:

The privatization of Medicare and Social Security is an awful idea. Let’s start there. That is something the vast majority of people understand in this district, and across the nation. Supporters of Paul Ryan’s plans have admitted it does not save money. These proposals open these programs to huge risk and cuts, and are clearly just a ploy to take money away from seniors and put it into the hands of Wall Street and private health insurance companies. (Of course, these are the same special interests funding Ryan’s political career).

Paul Ryan’s agenda is not just cuts and privatization, but also wasteful spending on big tax cuts for the wealthy. Everyone is furious that Mitt Romney is paying only 13.9 percent on his millions while many in the middle class are paying tax rates in the 30 percentile. I point out to people that Paul Ryan makes this possible. He has pushed for every tax cut for millionaires and billionaires possible including the Bush tax cuts, capital gains, carried interest, and many other loopholes. Ryan wants to protect these loopholes for Mitt Romney instead of funding our students, seniors, and economic recovery efforts.

Paul Ryan likes to sell himself as a big thinker similar to the way Newt Gingrich has done. I realized early on that his grandiose and self-promoting plans, including the Path to Prosperity, are little more than the reheated and repackaged extremism of past eras.

The second problem many Wisconsinites have with Ryan is his behavior. He is cavorting with the ultra-wealthy at every opportunity and only occasionally returns to the district. His “listening sessions” with constituents compromise of him delivering a PowerPoint presentation on topics including why students don’t need Pell Grants and why seniors programs should be privatized. He routinely kicks out anyone who disagrees with him. He behaves like people’s boss- not their representative. In my opinion, he acts like someone who does not feel he owes his district or his constituents any consideration. He is a man with a philosophy and everyone else can take his way or the highway. This makes people mad!

The third and final factor I think is playing a big role in why people are so energized is the movement in Wisconsin. Wisconsin is the epicenter of the movement by the middle class to stand up for themselves and for their futures. The recall effort of the governor is an inspiring grassroots effort to get rid of someone who has stepped far outside of the lines to attack the middle class. The crushing and coordinated political attack on working families that happened in Wisconsin was outrageous. The attack was orchestrated by outside money networks and secret coalitions, including the Koch Brothers and ALEC, which allowed for radical legislation to be quickly rammed through Wisconsin state government. It was clear to everyone that our legislators and Governor were acting as puppets for outside interests and had little understanding what they were doing.

This all-out assault on the middle class woke a lot of people up. We saw great things in Madison. The Recall has also spread to my district and had a great impact. Formerly Republican-leaning areas of the district, including Waukesha County, had record participation in the recall.

In short, things have changed here in Wisconsin! People have woken up and blue collar retirees are remembering just how unacceptable the Republican agenda is. Seniors and students are realizing the deep cuts Ryan is ramming through will hurt them and will force many in the middle class to fall into poverty.

It doesn’t take a weatherman to know which way the wind blows! Paul Ryan has the wrong ideas for America and we just need to keep promoting the simple truth.

Good answer! Come meet Rob Tuesday, right here-- 11am PT, 2pm ET. And if you'd like to help his campaign before then... be our guest, over at the Blue America ActBlue page.

This Tuesday Blue America will move to a new day. We're staying at 11am (PT) but our weekly guest will drop by on Tuesdays instead of Saturdays. And this week we're starting the new schedule with an iconic progressive figure from western North Carolina, Cecil Bothwell. No doubt you saw the news at the end of the week that Cecil's opponent, Blue Dog leader Heath Shuler, has decided to turn in his cleats and go become a lobbyist or a gym teacher. Since his voting record showed him siding with Boehner and Cantor more than 60% of the time and since he worked tirelessly inside the Democratic House caucus making bills less progressive and more palatable to his friends in Big Business, his retirement announcement is worth celebrating.

Now, of course, the DCCC and local conservatives are casting around for their idea of a Heath Shuler replacement. It isn't someone progressive. It isn't someone grassroots. It isn't someone independent-minded. In other words... it isn't Cecil Bothwell. Cecil was elected to the Asheville City Council and managed to get the most votes city wide-- although pundits insisted an atheist and unabashed liberal could never win. But he won and he won so big because he stands up for working families, not special interests. Even Tea Party members have recognized him as a friend of working people. He's straightforward and very clear about who he is, why he's running and what he plans to do in Congress. Please come by and meet him Tuesday at 2pm (ET). And the fascinating video above shows Cecil last week at a Tea Party candidates session. He's serious about appealing to all the people in the 11th district.

If you're a Facebook denizen, please join and share this event with your friends. It's never been more important to get real progressives into Congress.

And if you can, please consider making a contribution to Cecil's all grassroots campaign at the Blue America ActBlue page. The three coolest contributions before the end of the Super Bowl will get signed books. Which books? Surprise!

If you're a Facebook denizen, please join and share this event with your friends. It's never been more important to get real progressives into Congress.

Tomorrow is the two year anniversary of the infamous Citizens United decision. And what better way for Crooks and Liars to "celebrate" than by inviting out old and trusted friend Alan Grayson back for a live chat? Blue America has decided to endorse his campaign for Congress again and he's joining us at 2pm Eastern/11am, Pacific for a live chat. Although Mitch McConnell, the evil man behind the curtain in the effort to wreck McCain-Feingold, was the only senator in the Supreme Court on that day, Grayson was the only Member of the House there. They even said hello to each other. But they had very different reactions. McConnell, Alan recalls that "Floyd Abrams sat between us. I have said publicly before that McConnell was delighted by the decision, and what I heard from him was either a giggle, or some other bodily function. Clarence Thomas looked like if he tipped his chair back just an inch further, he would fall backward."

Alan introduced half a dozen bills-- some just before the decision and some just after it-- to forestall the dreaded consequences of unleashing virtually unrestrained corporate cash into the electoral system. He was alarmed. Not enough Beltway Democrats shared that alarm and the result-- so far-- was the Tea Party takeover of the House and the crippling of the Senate's ability to move forward and the catastrophes for working families in Wisconsin, Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan and several other states. One of Alan's bills, the Business Should Mind Its Own Business Act (H.R. 4431) would have implemented a 500% excise tax on corporate contributions to political committees, and on corporate expenditures on political advocacy campaigns. Another, the End Political Kickbacks Act (H.R. 4434) sought to prevent for-profit corporations that receive government money from making political contributions, and limit the amount that employees of those companies can contribute. But my favorite was the End the Hijacking of Shareholder Funds Act (H.R. 4487). This bill requires the approval of a majority of a public company's shareholders for any expenditure by that company to influence public opinion on matters not related to the company's products or services.

Alan got over 100,000 people to sign our petition at SaveDemocracy.net, and delivered the petition to the Supreme Court. This was a new experience for the Supreme Court and the clerks had no idea how to handle it.

Please come back tomorrow and join in the free-ranging discussion with Alan, whose new Orlando-based district, is much friendlier territory for a Democrat. And if you can't wait 'til then to help his efforts to get back into Congress, please visit the Blue America page and chip in now. As you can see, even $5 and $10 contributions have been mounting up rapidly. By the way, the video above, which was watched by millions of Americans on YouTube, was the one that launched Grayson into the national consciousness-- and caused corporate America to spend more negative campaign money in his congressional district than in any other district in America. (More about that on Saturday).