Really good new email from JK.com:

Hello ,

I was targeted by the Nixon White House, and the smears of 2004 were no picnic, but something's happening right now in our politics that's disturbingly different than anything I remember.

Hatred is a word mainstream candidates don't use, period. But when Sharron Angle's campaign announced her fundraising totals, they said, "This is a testament to the hatred of Harry Reid." Scary words from a campaign of a candidate who said people would resort to "second amendment remedies" if the rightwing didn't get their way.

Something's afoot. Another Congressman said, "We hunt liberal, tree-hugging Democrats," while Michael Steele called on activists to "get Nancy ready for the firing line," talking about the first woman Speaker in our nation's history.

This politics is dangerous.

This election is going to be a defining moment in whether certain things are still unacceptable in American politics. Whether the mainstream still holds.

I know we can overcome this extremist tide. But not if you and I sit on the sidelines.

That's why we all need to dig in and push toward the finish line. Because it matters. It matters whether Colorado elects a Senator who compares homosexuality to alcoholism. It matters whether Delaware elects a Senator who says that the Constitution doesn't actually contain a separation of church and state.

It matters. There are some things America just rejects in its politics. Too much is too much.

We reject the politics of "hatred."

That's what's at stake.

I'm doing all I can now to make sure our candidates have the resources they need to fight back with the truth. We're running out of time, so contribute today.

A contribution to Campaign For Our Country will allow us to help campaigns around the country the moment they are in need.

We'll help them stay on the air against the flood of lies and extremism and help them fund their get out the vote campaigns to make sure our supporters get to the polls and vote. All across the country, strong Democrats are standing up for mainstream values.

So please help them out with a contribution of $30, $50, or $100 right now.

The polls have been moving our way for weeks now, and we're ready to pull out a result that's going to shock the pundits in DC and restore common sense and common decency in American politics.

But we need your help.

Thanks so much,
John Kerry

...it makes sense, too. :) I am canvassing instead of $$$...sadly, the well has run dry. :(

Given Reid's stupid moves on climate legislation, I am not unsympathetic to liberals who can't stand him and would like someone else to be Majority Leader. But wow, not by letting Angle get the seat. Plus, Reid did get the votes for hcr, which considering where we are now, was an incredible feat.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/10/25/101025fa_fact_lemann

Both in raising the theme that the real issue is whether you want government to do anything and in describing Reid's life. It is hard to imagine anyone succeeding with the childhood he had. It does probably explain his lack of political skills. (Though Bill Clinton had a tough - though far better - childhood and he seemed to come out with incredible political skills - likely for the same reason Reid became a fighter.

Reading of his encounter with W, where he thought of Kennebunkport, I thought of the fact that very few Senator's were born poor - though my two NJ ones were. I immediately thought of the wonderful stories in Tour of Duty of Kerry's privileged childhood and his close wonderful family. It is hard to believe that Reid made it to where he is - and that teacher, later Governor, who changed Reid's life, has to an exceptional person.

Like you, I really hated what Reid did on climate change - and I also had seen a documentary where - early on - he and Schumer - scuttled Kennedy/McCain 's immigration because they thought NOT passing it then could gain more votes - especially as the House (Republican majority) had passed a really bad bill. (As that Congress was ending, letting it fail likely did not mean killing a viable bill - as the House was horrible in the 109th Congress - and nothing good was going to become law that year.) This does make clear why Reid is well suited as whip or majority leader. (though going backwards never happens, he might be better suite as whip - as that is more inside the Senate. As Majority leader, someone with his skill at the detail stuff and more articulate, likable and persuasive might be better.)

reading now. I find the idea of Angle as a senator deeply, deeply offensive.

Same with O'Donnell, Fiorina and the whole lot of 'em. Just..ugh! :x

Especially after watching Rachel Maddow last night (it's a rarity for me to watch any cable political affairs show, even hers) which was a fascinating study of the GOP Southern Strategy in 1964 and after and comparison with today's Republican strategy, both appealing to the hatred of an extremist minority in a way that will cement that vote in their favor. I really like that JK is speaking to the mainstream here, reminding Americans that we don't have to go down that extremist path, that it's not who we really are and not what we really believe. He grounds it in his own experience as the target of GOP extremists, which no one would deny. I like how it complements the upcoming Stewart/Colbert rally in DC, too! Hey, anyone here going to that? I know I'll be setting my recorder for CSPAN that day!

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/10/gop-party-hate

In my household, we teach the kids that "hate" is a big word, one that should be used sparingly. But there is plenty of Obama hatred out there—and it extends to Democrats and others. (Remember when furious tea partiers gathered at a Capitol Hill rally organized by the House Republican leadership to protest the health care reform law then under consideration by Congress, and the crowd, referring to Democrats, chanted, "Nazis, Nazis"?) Kerry's point is sound: there's plenty of over-the-top detesting going on in Republican and conservative circles. But the political question is, can Democrats and independents be whipped up to oppose Republicans by worries of rightwing extremism? What's a more powerful motivation: hatred or fear?

This year though, the Repubs and Tea Party are over the top and it is scary. Whatever happened to disagreeing with a person's ideas and opinions, but respecting that person's right to feel/believe as they do? All the hateful talk about Marxists, Communists, Hitler etc is crazy. We are all Americans even if we disagree on what is the best direction for our country. I fear these nasty divisions are being promoted and even encouraged, and the American people my not be able to overcome their mistrust or anger against one another, and the opposing party. Frankly, any spokesperson or politician who promotes and encourages these divisions and repeats the hate rhetoric does not care at all about America or the American people.

JK is so amazingly good at getting across the seriousness/utter importance of us winning this election, but providing encouragement/added motivation at the same time. His campaign emails are, imo, the best!

It's truly scary, the lows the right is sinking to in this election cycle. Even nastier than before. I think they are not even bothering to hide or sugarcoat their extremism this time out. I feel (or at least pray) this will be their ultimate downfall, this election and from here on out. They are just too damn arrogant for their own good. And if they do manage to get in in any notable number *shudders*, it would be very, very bad news for this country and it's future..