Yesterday I attended a relatively intimate event in Los Angeles for Charlie Brown, who barely missed ousting John Doolittle in CA-04 in 2006, and who is now re-running for the seat left open by Doolittle's retirement.
I was invited (really, begged to go) by a friend who worked on Brown's 2006 campaign. But I left with an incredible sense of excitement and clearly a bit of inspiration -- enough that I am now attempting to pen my first diary in years, to express how this event reminded me of what matters in what we are trying to achieve.
First, authenticity matters.
Many of you are probably familiar with Charlie Brown's bio. In 1998, he retired from a 26-year career in the Air Force as a Lt. Colonel, having flown rescue helicopters in Vietnam, served in the Desert Storm, and coordinated surveillance flights over Iraq in the mid-1990s.
His wife Jan was a nurse in the Air Force. At the event, she spoke movingly of how hard it was, as a young bride, to send her husband to war in Vietnam -- and how much harder it is, as a mother, to send her son off to start his FIFTH rotation in Iraq.
Charlie Brown describes himself as a citizen, not a polician. The campaign motto is "Patriotism before Partisanship," or simply, "Country First." Charlie was motivated to run by the disinformation campaign and abusive tactics that led us into the Iraq war (remember, Charlie coordinated surveillance over Iraq in the mid-1990s), as well as the Republican party's other betrayals of the principles this country stands for.
So when Charlie talks about military service and foreign policy, he's not talking about some romantic ideal; when he talks from personal experience about surveillance, he talks with pride about protecting civil liberties; and when he talks about environmental policy and natural resources, he talks with passion. Across the board, the Browns (and I refer to both because Jan KICKS ASS) bring a personal, grounded, and authentic point of view.
Second, the 50 state strategy matters.
Charlie Brown is a perfect example of how the 50 state strategy is supposed to operate. For most of his 18 years in Congress, John Doolittle has run virtually unopposed. In 2006, Charlie Brown lost by just three points. And with the Wilkes and Abramoff scandals coming to Doolittle's door (literally), Doolittle lost his support and was forced to retire.
And guess what, that's left Charlie Brown -- who now has 95% name recognition
running, a jump in organization and fund-raising, and is part of the Red to Blue program -- against an open field of eh-name Republicans, where the most formibable opponent is the hacktacularly wingnutty carpetbagger, Tom McClintock.
Third, support matters.
In talking to Charlie, his appreciation for this community and the early recognition and commitment to the 50 state strategy is evident. And the Brown's truly feel that THIS is year to make it happen.
So, if you got a few bones laying around, maybe you can throw some Charlie's way.
And even if you don't have the $ to give, please go to VoteVets.org to vote for Charlie (or, really, any of the other very deserving candidates).