Harold Ford Jr. ran a great race against tremendous odds with a very significant financial disadvantage. I wonder what the actual talley is? hard to count the Swift boat money, NRA money, etc. Regardless, I am saddened by our loss.

Insiders seem to give the Race card a 3-5 point value but I don't think it is quite that big. But, after seeing how close the Virginia Senate Race is, with George Allen being an absolute pig, I think the Gay Marriage Amendment brought out a certain demographic that marches to the same quaint drum. Is that stated delicately enough?

I feel deeply that something has been shown, maybe not to the rest of the country, but to ourselves by the closeness of this race. Bob Corker could not have won on his record or the greater issues in Tennessee. He won on the lingering fear of Tolerance. Remember that racism and bigotry are not embodiments of hate but rather of fear. Can we continue the conversation we in this state have started about erasing our old fears? The Boogie Man will not get us. We will get ourselves if we don't wake up to our ignorance and keep pushing that red button over there.

Tennessee Democrats lost an election but we can recognize that we are part of something bigger. Harold Ford Jr. ran his race on a very inclusive platform, parts of which I don't like, but he tried to bring Tennessee together in spite of our incompatabilities on the surface. We could not come together this time but time screams by and soon it will be next time. We are strengthened and prepared.

We have restored the Two Party System for the moment and that is good for our Nation. For now, there is work to do. Corporations will see this as a mere setback to the "Corporations Good, We the People, Bad" ideology if we don't stay vigilant. So for now...Rest up, take a walk, listen to a lot of music, and come out ready to win hearts and minds.

Peace,

Steve