It's been eight long years for Americans. Long, difficult years. Internationally shameful years. Environmentally wasted years. And let's face it: it's going to take some time—not to mention a lot of hard work on the local, state and national levels by many individuals and groups—to turn back the policies, procedures, and sociopolitical culture built by The George W. Bush Empire. Chairman of the Board Pelosi, while otherwise saying all the right things, abdicated her responsiblity to call for a vote to oust C.E.O. Bush from his throne of expanded executive power, a power never before wielded so coldly and absolutely by a modern day vice-president, himself an ominous, seemingly sociopathic man who has, like Bush, also amazingly escaped impeachment. But, follow me below the fold as I point out the events and contributions that I believe constitute important blows against the Bush Empire. It's my booster shot of optimism for those who hunger for, work towards and see on the horizon, progressive change.
Tomorrow night, as Nebraskan families sit down to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, my campaign is going to launch the first ad of the Senate general election cycle in homes across the state.
Significantly, we are going up on TV before my opponent. We will have the airwaves to ourselves, and we've crafted an ad to take advantage of the moment. This ad, called "Future," will introduce me to Nebraskans as a father and a candidate for United States Senate...
Amid skyrocketing oil, gasoline, coal, and electricity (coming to a neighborhood near you) prices, 2008 offers Americans quite serious and stark choices between knowledgeable, impassioned, and thoughtful candidates when it comes to finding paths toward a prosperous 21st century economy, on the one side, and Fossil-Fool candidates focused on tightening our shackles to the ever-more costly (pollution, financial, otherwise) and archaic oil-coal based energy system.
One of these stark choices comes in Nebraska , where Scott Kleeb is facing down with Mike Johanns.
Scott was an easy choice for membership in the ranks of the Energy Smart Act Blue page. Join me after the fold for some indications as to why.
Before you read anything else I have to say tonight, I'd like to invite you to take five minutes to watch a video:
This video says what I can't always find the words for myself: that this campaign is about something much bigger than just me or my opponent. It's about the people we've met and the communities we've visited over these last several months.
The people of Nebraska are the heart and soul of our campaign.
Incredible, simply incredible. What we thought would take us a week turned out to take only a weekend. We're happy to announce that due to the overwhelming response to our "Picture is Worth a Million Dollars" challenge, our campaign has now raised over one million dollars since February.
Some of you may recognize my new screen name already, others might need a hint...(most of you know me as "k/o.")
I'm here at Netroots Nation in Austin, Texas in my new role working to elect Scott Kleeb for United States Senate in Nebraska. And, yep, this is the handle I'll be using as I tell you about Scott's campaign to give Nebraskans a vote for change this November.
When I heard that we were closing in on our first million dollars raised, I started thinking about all the thousands of Nebraskans who have opened their homes and their hearts to this campaign. And honestly, I just couldn't think of a way to say "thank you" enough. So to mark this significant milestone, I've decided to offer a little something special to the donor who pushes us past the million dollar mark.
Hey there, this is Scott Kleeb's world-famous bodyman Kevin "Cheese" Bieging, here to provide you the thrilling conclusion to our four-day Panhandle Progress Tour here in Western Nebraska (make sure to check out part 1, part 2 and part 3).
First of all, I'd just like to apologize for the delay. We had a big day yesterday, with news coming out that we outraised our opponent Mike Johanns for the second fundraising quarter. The momentum for Scott Kleeb is building. I know because I've seen it firsthand.
This is number 23 in a planned series of 50 entries between now and November, looking at each of the 50 states in terms of every race on that state's ticket--Presidential, Gubernatorial, Senate, House, State legislatures--the whole ear of corn. Special attention paid to identifying and promoting the most important contests per state.
I wanted you to be the first to hear the good news: thanks to your contributions, our grassroots campaign has managed to shatter expectations and outraise our opponent, a former two-term Governor and Bush Cabinet member, for the most recent fundraising quarter. Make no mistakes about it - change is in the air here in Nebraska.
The Journal Star reports: "Democratic Senate candidate Scott Kleeb seems to be finding fundraising traction in this heavily Republican state, bringing in nearly $700,000 in the latest reporting period and besting Republican Mike Johanns for the first time."
For those of you just tuning in, this is Kevin "Cheese" Bieging, Scott Kleeb's very own personal body man, reporting to you live from the road out here in Western Nebraska.
Yesterday was day three of our four day, fifteen event Panhandle Progress Tour (make sure to check out part 1 and part 2), and this time our travels brought us to the Oregon Trail Days celebration in Scottsbluff/Gering. No sight-seeing today, just some good 'ole-fashion retail politics, with Scott making a lot of new friends and seeing a lot of familiar faces as well.
For those of you who missed our adventures last time, my name is Kevin "Cheese" Bieging, Scott Kleeb's "body man" extraordinaire, and yes that's me standing in front of the world famous Carhenge in Alliance, NE.
Now I know some of you may be wondering: just who is that guy, and what is he doing posing for a picture in front of one of the world's most beautiful monuments to one of America's most beautiful inventions? Well, it's a long story, but it all starts with our four day, fifteen event Panhandle Progress Tour. Yesterday was day two, as we continued to blaze our trail west and reach out to voters from all different backgrounds, communities and perspectives.
My name is Kevin Bieging, but the rest of the Kleeb Crew calls me "cheese." I like to think that's because I'm originally from Wisconsin, but I'm sure that there's more to the story.
I'm Scott Kleeb's "body man," which means it's my job to follow Scott around the state, make sure he keeps to his schedule, and remember all the little details so he doesn't have to. It's a great job, though it is a bit exhausting. Scott keeps up quite the busy schedule these days.
Normally I do the driving, but right now one of our other staff members is taking over so that I can tell you about all the great things we're doing in the field. Yesterday was the first day of our four-day, fifteen event Panhandle Progress Tour, which means we've been even busier than usual. Thank goodness for black coffee...
My husband Scott Kleeb is running for the United States Senate. He has a committed staff of young people who work 12 hour days, 7 days a week. So we decided to take them up to the ranch to relax, Scott on the other hand has a different way of describing the weekend. Come meet two of the Kleeb staffers John and John and listen to why Scott brought his team up to the Nebraska Sandhills.
This Friday, we celebrate 232 years of independence. We celebrate not only our country's independence - but the independent spirit we as Americans all share.
Independence Day isn't just about our past, it's also about our future. Our campaign is committed to practicing a new brand of politics, and that requires each of us to recommit ourselves to the principles our founding fathers fought for.
Candidates in Nebraska are getting dirty...in rivers and parks that need to be cleaned up. Come meet some of the candidates running for office in Nebraska that are taking part in new brand of politics—the politics of service. (watch the video on MTV).
Amid skyrocketing oil, gasoline, coal, and electricity (coming to a neighborhood near you) prices, 2008 offers Americans quite serious and stark choices between knowledgeable, impassioned, and thoughtful candidates when it comes to finding paths toward a prosperous 21st century economy, on the one side, and Fossil-Fool candidates focused on tightening our shackles to the ever-more costly (pollution, financial, otherwise) and archaic oil-coal based energy system.
