While recent months have witnessed Rove-like talking points against Obama coming from the Clinton campaign, ABC debate "moderators," and others in the mainstream media, there's nothing quite like seeing them boiled down to one column in the Wall Street Journal by the man himself. While following another diarist's link to Daniel Henninger's WSJ column announcing that Obama is the de facto nominee, I came across the column by Karl Rove from yesterday's WSJ entitled "Is Barack Obama Ready for Prime Time?"

It's worth studying Rove's points closely so we know exactly what we're up against, for in it he outlines the absurdities we'll be hearing ad infinitum between now and November 4. Here are a few key points:

In October 2000, my stepfather, Joe, died at the age of 67 after a four-month battle with stomach cancer. On this fortieth anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s death, I find myself reflecting on how I came to love Joe, and his role in starting me down a lifelong path as an activist myself. The account here is from a piece I wrote on the first anniversary of Joe's death, in October 2001, and today, six and a half years later, I want to share it with all of you since the videos I've been watching of King's Mountaintop speech and of Bobby Kennedy's speech following King's assassination have brought memories of Joe to me more vividly than I've had in a long while. If you read this account I think you'll see why.

Loni Hancock, a former member of the Clinton administration who headed the Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Education, and who is an endorser of the Hillary Clinton campaign for president, said in answer to a question concerning the presidential race at a meeting of the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club (WDRC) attended by over two hundred at the Humanist Hall in Oakland, California, this past Thursday evening, March 27, "You know, folks, I think we all know it's over!"

An article posted this evening on SF Gate (the San Francisco Chronicle's website) reports that the California campaign manager responsible for Clinton's victory in the Golden State's Super Tuesday primary, Averell "Ace" Smith, has been recruited to provide a repeat performance in Texas:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, signaling the start of an aggressive drive in states she must win on March 4, has summoned the formidable political "closer" who led her 9-point Super Tuesday victory in California to run her Texas effort, sources said today.

This is yet another reminder that Hillary Clinton and her campaign are not to be underestimated, and the race is far from over.

I finally got around to reading a bit more of the Sunday paper, and found that folk legend and longtime peace and human rights activist Joan Baez has endorsed Obama in a letter to the editor in today's edition of the San Francisco Chronicle.

While Maria Shriver's endorsement will get more ink and is wonderful in building momentum, which will hopefully translate into more votes on Tuesday, Joan Baez's willingness to raise her magnificent voice means more to me and I'm sure to many other peace activists.

Interesting how many of those who have refrained from political endorsements in the past (Caroline Kennedy, Oprah, Maria Shriver, and now Joan Baez) are moved to come forward when it comes to Obama. While some of the more partisan among us may feel some discomfort at this, at least with Baez we're hearing from someone who has always stood with the poor and disadvantaged, and who has consistently and generously lifted her voice for peace and justice, from her days marching with Martin Luther King, Jr. and with César Chávez and the farmworkers, to her antiwar activism during the Vietnam War, to her ongoing work on behalf of human rights.

(See below the fold for the letter.)

Yesterday's American Prospect has an article that provides insight into the Obama campaign's amazing grassroots success, not just in the blogosphere but on the ground. Entitled "The Year of the Organizer," it describes how

it is Obama's campaign that most clearly embodies many of the characteristics of a social movement — a redemptive calling for a better society, coupling individual and social transformation. This shouldn't be surprising. Obama has enlisted hundreds of seasoned organizers — including unions, community groups, churches, and environmental groups — into his campaign. They, in turn, have mobilized thousands of volunteers — many of them neophytes in electoral politics — into tightly knit, highly motivated, and efficient teams. This organizing effort has turned out a new group of voters, many of them young people and first-time voters.

Last evening I attended a thank-you reception in San Francisco with John Kerry, his chance to express gratitude to major Bay Area fundraisers from the campaign. As the coordinator for a large LGBT/progressive campaign event held in Berkeley, I was on the invitation list. Although I wasn't feeling so well yesterday, I decided to BART over anyway, because I've been meaning to write a thank-you note to John Kerry ever since the election. This would be my chance to deliver it in person.

As the BART train rumbled toward the tunnel under the bay, I drafted out my note, then transferred it to a card. I'd brought the copy of the 1971 VVAW book The New Soldier which John had signed at a campaign rally in Oakland last spring, then personalized to me at a fundraiser at the St. Francis last June, and I browsed through it for inspiration as I drafted my thank-you. On both occasions during the campaign I'd had the opportunity to talk with John twice, on the other side of the Secret Service rope line. This time, there would be no Secret Service and no rope.

Here's what I wrote:

In threads attached to a number of diaries related to the post-mortem of the election, some posters have gone along with the meme of blaming Gavin Newsom, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, or gay activists in general for Kerry's narrow defeat, especially in states like Ohio that had anti-gay amendments on the ballot.

The following article by James Dao in today's New York Times, which I have posted in full since the site requires registration, will perhaps provide some perspective, both with regard to timing (as I've said before, the marriage equality issue has been on the table for at least the past decade, and it isn't going away, despite how much some of you out there might wish it to) and concerns for the future. Here's the article, followed by a few of my thoughts about what it means for those of us who plan to keep fighting, both as Democrats and as supporters of full equality for the lgbt community.

This morning I sent the following letter to the editor as my first post-election action. I am determined that the gay community not serve as the scapegoat for the heartbreaking outcome of the election (either in the national media or here at D-Kos). The issue of gay marriage isn't going away (there are dozens of cases wending their way through the courts). Democrats are going to have to find a way to win even though this issue is part of the backdrop (just as post-9/11 fears, the so-called "war on terror," and other sometimes inconvenient issues are part of the current fabric of national discourse). Anyhow, here's my letter:

Has Kerry's vice presidential pick inspired you to contribute to Kerry for President before it's too late (contributions can only be accepted up to the formal nomination)? Here's a way to send a progressive message in support of full equality for the lesbian/gay/bi/trans community with your contribution: Use the link at LGBT4Kerry.

This link was created to support the Out Front for Kerry fundraiser taking place on July 18 in Berkeley, California, the only official Bay Area-wide LGBT event for Kerry pre-Convention, as well as other Bay Area LGBT efforts for Kerry, but you don't have to attend the July event to use our link to make sure your dollars for Kerry count twice: both in helping to defeat Bush and in demonstrating the strength of the LGBT community. And you don't even have to be LGBT; we welcome the support of our straight allies!

This fundraiser arose from the grassroots, out of my desire to do my part to defeat Bush while also sending a progressive message . . .