Choakley

So, as foretold here two days ago, Martha Coakley blew a 15-point lead by not asking anyone for their votes and lost Ted Kennedy's Senate seat to a telegenic Republican, Scott Brown. Strike one against the entitled, and some respect, yes, for Senator-Elect Brown for actually campaigning and asking for votes, the way you're supposed to, going out and meeting the people. Putting 200,000 miles on his truck, which doesn't seem possible in a state as small as Massachusetts. And congrats to Brown for his classy mention of the late Senator Kennedy in his acceptance speech.

Contrary to every GOP mouthpiece on Fox and in the rest of the bloated media, this is actually great news for Democrats -- if they take it the right way. This is not a call to move to the center, this is a call to serve the base that actually worked to elect this President and everyone who rode in on his coattails, or in the election prior to beat back the nihilist Republicans. Stand with the people or lose your own party, as Coakley did.

I like the calls for Dr. Howard Dean to return to run the Democratic National Committee -- God save us from milquetoast loser Tim Kaine. And here's to Dr. Dean himself who said tonight:

"I certainly don't think it's a referendum on President Obama," Dean said.

Maddow seemed to be surprised that Dean wasn't blaming Democrats for the Massachusetts race. "You're the only Democrat in politics right now who's saying anything like that," she said. "Democrats formed a circular firing squad over this election."

Maddow also called it "an incredible breakdown in party discipline."

Dean agreed, and suggested a new direction: "This is not the time for pointing the blame."

People who blame others are losers. If you want to win elections, you stop blaming and get to work.

Sounds from the White House indicate that Obama is ready to fight, and maybe now House Dems will fold and just pass the Senate health reform bill, and move on to fixing any holes there. As for Brown, does he honor the late Senator Kennedy's memory, work with the President (who called to congratulate him) and get reelected in 2012, or does he go teabagger and act like a douche?

Best news of all: Lieber-who?

Heroes

Here's two health insurance reform heroes. #1 is famed blogger and cancer survivor Jane Hamsher, known best for the group blog Firedoglake. Here she bats back Andrea Mitchell's latest media chamber line about the Public Option, particularly wailing on anti-real reform Blue Dog Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) for his wife's conflict of interest:



And taking the Morning Joe Show to school over their collective rush to declare the Public Option dead and the politics of the situation, welcome back, Dr. Dean:



He's the man who should be running the Department of Health & Human Services. Former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius appears either over her head...or too Blue Dog for the job herself.

Change

Already at the Democratic National Committee, thanks to change agent and Presumptive Nominee, Barack Obama:

Obama imposed on the DNC the same ban on money from federal lobbyists and political action committees that he has placed on his campaign.

It may be hubris that the small donor machine will continue to dwarf the traditional, influence-oriented election fundraising apparati. But it is a breath of fresh air.

Obama has Howard Dean staying on to run the DNC, which makes perfect sense since Dean's 50-state strategy was how Obama won the nomination -- he dissed no states for size or caucus. These comers are ready to redraw the stale old partisan map:

As Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, told The Huffington Post: "I think that we are going to have a larger battlefield in 2008... I think we are going to stretch the Republicans. I don't think they can take for granted nearly as many states as they have in the past. And I think we are going to add several to the Democratic column this year and so our coalition is going to be broader."

The whole article is worth reading, as it really lays the groundwork for the strategy and both how far Dean has come in making it a reality these past four years, and how Obama opened lots of offices in states Dem Presidential candidates previous would write off.

Beyond the desire for victory for the candidate or party that I favor, the core reason why I believe the 50-state strategy is so crucial -- for either party -- is that we so desperately need to be the United States of America again, as we were during World War II, as we maybe have never achieved before.

There's a reason the Civil War was fought 150 years ago. America was not united enough, not by the Revolution or the War of 1812. If we truly believe, as a nation, that there is something special about us, a nation of immigrants (and Indians), a nation unlike all others not based on a sitting single race or religion that predated actual nationhood, a nation that can be a beacon to the world by dint of freedom and equality, then every state needs to be accounted for, every state deserves attention and due.

I don't think this election is a given for either candidate. The final decision-making is just beginning.

By the way, Obama now carries a big stick:



Bam bam.