The Final Push: A Word to Democratic Readers

This is it. We're coming up on Zero Hour, and it's time to get involved if you haven't already. I have to confess that I haven't been as involved as I should've been with this campaign. I could give a number of reasonable excuses relating to time or whatever else, but my lack of involvement is a symptom of a larger problem. Today I plan to spend most of my time making phone calls and volunteering in various ways for the Deeds campaign. I will keep working as much as I can until Tuesday.

There's plenty to criticize about the Democrats' efforts in this election, and there will be plenty of time to analyze the results after Tuesday, whatever the outcome. But if we let the media narrative keep us at home this weekend and we end up with a GOP sweep, we will have nobody to blame but ourselves.

And for those of you who are deterred from volunteering or even offering genuine support because you don't think our ticket is progressive enough, quit fooling yourself. Bob McDonnell will opt-out of health care reform, decimate education and let our roads turn to rubble; Bill Bolling will spend the next four years running for governor and skipping meetings; and Ken Cuccinelli will impose his fundamentalist, far-right brand of conservatism on the Attorney General's office at the expense of anyone he deems "immoral."

You may not agree with everything our candidates stand for, but who do you honestly believe is more likely to stand up for the progressive values in which you believe? Who will side with the middle class, fight for education and come up with a realistic transportation plan? Who will continue the legacy of Mark Warner, Jim Webb, Tim Kaine and Tom Perriello? I think you know the answer.

So go knock doors. Make phone calls, talk to your friends and neighbors, or write a last minute lettor to the editor. If you just can't bear to do any of those things, at least go out and vote and drag your like-minded friends with you to the polls. We may very well lose anyway, but if you and I sit around and do nothing, it becomes a sure bet.