Al: I Forgive You For Missing Previous Deadlines. I Understand You've Been Busy.

Dear Al:

Could be a big week for you, has anyone ever won an Emmy, an Oscar and a Nobel Prize? I doubt it, I mean most tv people don't transition well to movies, far less world peace. I have to be honest, some of these other folks you're up against, all 180 of them, there are some serious folks there so I know you think you might not win, and you might.

But then again.

I have been looking into Sheila Watt-Cloutier and I think she's a shoo-in, and if I understand the rules, if she wins, she'll pull you over the line, I just have a feeling.

So, now what?

Well, you may recall me harassing you with the September 1 deadline and then my delegate post. And my open letter to you. But now, my friend, it's brass tacks time. Put up or shut up. Come out swinging, or close the door.

You have to say something. Seriously.

But before you do - here are a few thoughts to consider first.

First, the Draft Gore movement is real. It's probably the first real draft movement in modern, post-Internet political history. These people really want you to run. They like other Democrats, they'll support other Democrats, but they want you, really. (As do a lot of Republicans fyi.)

This morning, over at DailyKos, of top 8 Recommended Diaries, four are about you and you're running. From what I gather, you picked your 'favorite suit' at the dry cleaners and in doing so have sent your progressive base into a Beatle-esque hysteria.

Second, we share a healthy suspicion and at least on my part, considerable disregard for the corporate media here in the United States. I saw Diane Sawyer too - I can't believe it either. However, there is a secondary media market out there, there is this remarkable progressive community online, they are your people.

For example, did you know the average age for a reader of a Progressive Blog / Web Site is 46 years old? College and Post Graduate educated, involved, passionate and right now, frankly without a candidate.

They are your people.

Somewhere, sometime, you have to have wondered how much you could raise and how fast. I'll answer that right here - $30,000,000 in 30 days. Not that you'll have much to spend it on, because you'll only be running 60 days, and you can skip Iowa and New Hampshire and go straight to the big delegate states, 2,181 - that's your number.

There is plenty of money to go with the plenty of people.

Finally, you understand the spirit of the world better than I, you actually get to speak with the Dalai Lama, and I just read his books and admire from afar. Everything is connected, interdependent, and to a certain degree out of our hands. There is a wisdom on the world not immediately clear to those living in it. Some would say an ironic sense of humor too.

Five years ago, tomorrow, the United States Senate voted for a war in Iraq, a war that is destroying our country from the inside. Five years ago, on the exact same day Jimmy Carter won his Nobel Prize.

Tomorrow, you will win or you will lose, it doesn't really matter. For a moment, the world will be your stage, for a fleeting moment, the world will see that last flame of hope for literally millions of Americans will be in your hands, and Tipper's.

You have two choices.

You have to blow it out. And let those people who have been working to draft you go help one of the other candidates. And walk away.

Or you have to feed the flame. And run.

Please let it be the latter.

Good luck tomorrow.

You know I'm rooting for you.

Peace,

James