Senator Obama - this inspiring, accomplished and very wise man - could be our next president, but only if every single person who supports him registers to vote and then votes in the primary.  The size of the crowds the Senator draws means nothing, if those people are not registered Democrats and don't vote in the primary.

Fundraising is important, but money can't win the primary if the votes aren't there.  Here's a challenge for young and old alike - every week between now and your state's primary, while you are out spreading the word about our incredible candidate, find 5 people who would support Senator Obama but who are not registered to vote in the primary.  Walk them through the registration.  Drive them to the local office to make sure it's done.  Then add them to your list of folks to contact before the primary, and support them through their primary vote.  Get them there.  Bring them a stamp for their mail-in vote.  Walk them to the mailbox.  Do it in EVERY state.

Without this effort to get every single Obama supporter to vote in the primary, we will lose our opportunity to put a real leader in the White House.  The Senator cannot, I repeat, CANNOT WIN  the nomination with the primary votes he now  has.  We must work the hardest we've ever worked in our lives to change that.  We need to do it because we love our country and because we love all Americans, even those with whom we disagree.  And we haven't much time.

Think of it.  Imagine that we could have in the White House not a lacky for Washington lobbyists, corporatists, religionists or idealogues on either side of the aisle. Not a person who sucks up to the extremist religious right or to the ideologues of the progressive blogosphere.  Not someone who will be the president of just one race or color or gender, nor just the president of rich or poor, left or right. 

Obama will be a president and a leader for all Americans.  Imagine it.

The leader is the guy at the front.  And the guy at the front needs to be able to see what's down the road.  The leader needs to be able to foresee the consequences of his/her actions and choices, and then bear the responsibility.  No more of this "I made a mistake" crap.  That's not being responsible, that's being manipulative.

The Iraq War "mistake" was, on the part of Democrats, the result of laziness, of giving in to pressure from fellow Democrats and pollsters, and of being fooled by rhetoric and propaganda.  And here's a question to investigate - who LED Democrats into voting for this illegal, immoral invasion of Iraq?  You might be surprised at the answer.

Shock and Awe killed hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi children, women and men, and ultimately thousands of our fellow Americans.  Not to mention the fallout of this "mistake" in international relations.  There is no word to describe the enormity of the shameful "mistake" that was made by Republicans and Democrats alike.  There were Republicans with the courage to vote against their president;  every Democrat should have had the same courage.

No more being a sucker, no more giving a pass to people just because they are Democrats or because they say "I made a mistake."  In today's world, with a global economy and an ailing planet, we need wisdom and we need foresight.  As President Bill Clinton said in 2004, "We can't kill all of our enemies."

Senator Obama has demonstrated the wisdom and foresight that America needs.  He alone of the Democratic frontrunners has done so.  He will surround himself with wise advisors and will chose a wise cabinet of people who will do their homework and will not be fooled by propaganda and rhetoric.  We can trust him to put competence over pressure from lobbyists and special interest groups. 

So let's all be realists about what we need to do to get a real leader into the White House and move this country foreward more honorably.  The alternative is just not acceptable.