Here I am, a liberal in a “red state”. I sometimes feel real hostility toward my circumstance from the blue-state Democrats. Certainly there is a lack of empathy by some. Fortunately our party chairman isn't giving up on us. Howard Dean initiated the Fifty State Strategy. So far Democratic state chairmen are enthusiastic. Dean is serious about this, for example assigning a full time staffer in Mississippi. He’s doing a fantastic job of building the party and building it for the future.

I do envy the blue-state Democrat who can work and nominate a fiery progressive and have a chance to win an election. What I don't enjoy is attacks on the more moderate candidates in red states and the Democrats who support them.

Red state Democrats aren't DLC flunkies, in fact most I know are would say they are anti-war liberals. However we are also smart enough to know that to win an election in a red state we have to support someone who can win. All the talk in the world about ideals is worthless if we nominate someone who will lose in the general election.

In my state, Oklahoma, we have a Democratic governor ( Brad Henry). He's not as liberal as we would like, but he is a head and shoulders above our former governor, Frank Keating, and miles above his 2002 opponent , the homophobe Steve Largent. His opponent in the 2006 election is Earnest Istook. For those not familiar with the Congressman, he is just about the nuttiest right-winger in Congress.

So, all you blue-state folks, don’t be a bluemeanie. Please remember when you toss out words like DINO, and even worse epitaphs, you aren't helping us. Mary Landrieu is much better for this country than David Vitter and Bill Nelson is going to vote with us many more times than Katherine Harris. If your blue-state Congressperson disappoints you, then yes, you certainly should pound your fist, write angry letters and vent all you want, but think about why the red-state Democrat votes the way they do. So often the red-state Democrat must chose to represent the voters of their state, not yours. Now, this doesn’t mean we won’t get mad at our compromising Democrat. We liberals in a red-states probably will be mad. But we will understand the reasons, and we certainly will continue to support and vote for Democrats.

My hope is to win elections and to win with Democrats . I’ll support the liberal candidate in the primary if I think they can win. If in my judgment it’s a lost cause, I’ll put my emotions aside and go with the one who can win.

Check that. Here is what my emotions tell me: I hate Republicans. I hate Bush and the PNAC neo-cons.
Maybe I hate them too much. I want to see Democrats win.