Steve Gilliard.
NY Times Magazine photo courtesy of the Gilliard family.
One Week To Go
June 2, 2007...
July 1, 2007. Group News Blog.
January, 2008. We add The Littlest Gator and Evan Robinson as Guest Bloggers.
June 2, 2008. One year.
July 1, 2008. Our first (and so far, only) fund raising campaign.
(Next one scheduled January, 2009 to raise funds so we can cover the inauguration.)
Mid July, 2008. Netroots Nation in Austin.
TLG and Evan become Staff Writers; we also add Maggie Jochild and Minstrel Boy.
Dr. Michael Shaw awarded first annual Gilliard Grant of Merit.
Late August, 2008. Democratic National Convention.
Carrying on The News Blog tradition from 2004 in Boston, GNB is credentialed. Six of us report the convention from Denver.
Late October, 2008.
One week before the election.
To All GNB Regulars and Writers
Barack Obama will win the presidential election in one week, short of cheating so massive it would cause a second American revolution.
Earlier this morning I attempted to write a letter to my colleagues at GNB, thanking them for all their hard work, the hundreds and in many cases thousands of hours over the last eighteen months bringing you Group News Blog. Instead, I found myself writing this to everyone.
We wouldn't be here today without the cheerful willing donation by our writers of their time, money and effort in making GNB the success it is today. No publication exists in a vacuum. GNB has readers -- smart readers, who care about the United States and the world. Only a tiny fraction of our total readership also comment.
But here's the thing. As I said, all this started as I tried to write a letter.
Without taking anything away from Hubris Sonic, Sara Robinson, Lower Manhattanite, The Littlest Gator, Evan Robinson, Maggie Jochild, Minstrel Boy, and myself... and of course, our beloved Jen.... I couldn't... I can't write the letter.
Because Steve. Gilly. He.... Because I start crying and can't type.
Barack Obama is going to be President of the United States, and all I want is to say “Thank You” to Steve, to acknowledge Steve, to tell him how much I miss him and that as best we can, the job is getting done.
It isn't done yet. We're working on it. It's going to take a while.
So listen. This week, everyone do me a favor, okay?
Hit hard. Don't relent, don't let up, don't stop for a moment. This isn't the time. We have an election to win and you can sleep November 5th.
But as you go about winning, remember these three points.
- Even though we have to beat them and we're going to beat them, remember that they want to survive. It's always better to give an enemy you're defeating a way out, an escape route that we design, than force them into a corner where they will fight to the bitter end costing us casualties.
- This week, DON'T LET UP. Do what it takes to win. Remember as you win that we're the good team. We have morals. We have standards. We have lines we won't cross. We are going to win, so don't sell out your Self in order to win. Win in a way that afterward, the win will be worth it.
- Steve loved all of you. So do I. Those of you whom have been around a while know this is a safe place, this is home. Those of you whom are new, welcome.
Get out and doorbell, make some phone calls, drive relatives and neighbors to the polls.
DO SOMETHING.
Finally....
STAY PRESENT this week.
Don't be so caught up in your activities that you don't pay attention to what's happening. WATCH what is happening as well as being in action. History is happening all around you. This week is changing history. You will be telling stories from this week the rest of your life. PAY ATTENTION.
Now...
GET BACK TO WORK.
Thank you Steve Gilliard for the opportunity. And thank you Jen.
Love to both of you. Always.
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