So, you think you can dance?

Interesting things are afoot.  I have heard on the wind that the Republicans in Congress are VERY interested in the PUMA movement.  We are considered the prize in the general election, and they are trying to figure out the best way to woo us.  I have let my go-betweens know that we want to see some evidence that the Republicans are serious about taking down Obama.  And they are starting to understand that we are serious about breaking down the forces responsible for bringing us the FIASCO of May 31.  I am getting the word out that when they start standing up against the anti-democratic actions of the coup that we PUMAs will be right there to add our voices.

My perception is that the Republicans are trying to walk a thin line.  They undoubtedly have toxic stuff to leak out about Obama, but they are holding back because as far as they are concerned Hillary Rodham Clinton is still a threat.  As they are clearly feeling beholden to our support (and they want it VERY badly in light of the fact they are fighting a great deal of apathy toward their presumptive nominee in certain factions of the party) we need to strategize methods to force their hand on some of this stuff they are holding.  If we are serious about taking down Obama's candidacy, and this coup, we're going to have to leverage the Republicans with our potential support.

I am making it clear that there are disparate strategies among members of the Just Say No Deal Coalition.  Some are planning to vote for McCain.  Some are staying home.  Some are going to write in HRC.  Obviously the Republicans want to boost the numbers of us taking the first option.  The message we need to send Republicans is this: go after the Democratic Party.  Speak to what happened on May 31, 2008 at the Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting, specifically the hijacking of 4 of HRC's delegates, the allocation of 55 uncommitted delegates to a candidate who did not even appear on the ballot, and the violation of the Democratic Party's Sunshine Laws.  And let loose some serious salvos against Obama, not just tit for tat like we've been seeing (though the way he's recently started throwing MoveOn.org and Wes Clark under the bus I'm wondering how much of a base in the Party Obama is still going to have when he gets to Denver).

In the meantime I'm asking people in my network to get back on the stick about lobbying super delegates.  I think there has been some slackening in that area as people are seeing HRC out there with Obama thinking, "She's campaigning for him.  It's over."  From the reports I have read, and what I've seen from Unity, NH, and the Mayflower Hotel, I'd say this is definitely not over.

The Republicans are also apparently nervous about Ed O'Reilly.  They are glad to see he's getting support against John Kerry, but he's getting too much for their liking.  I say that's a very good thing.  In fact, I encourage you to contribute to Ed's campaign (as well as Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Sheila Jackson Lee), and help take down one of the principle players in the coup.  The bottom line is the Republicans are ready to make a serious play on the Congress, and they would like to do it on our backs.  It's no secret that many of us are willing to support candidates opposing elected officials whose districts and states went to Clinton, but who endorsed Obama anyway, despite all the talk from party leaders about super delegates not overturning the "will of the people."  They want to use us, and we want to use them.  This is going to be a delicate dance all the way through August and beyond.

A final thought.  The Republicans are VERY afraid of Hillary making a comeback...very afraid.  They know that, if nominated, they will not be able to beat her.  Every person, every party has a lever.  Archimedes is reported to have said that with a lever, and a place to stand, he could move the entire world.  We have the strength to move the lever. We just have to find the proper fulcrum.

It's a long way to Denver.