Memo to Obama Workers and Supporters: BIG UP YOURSELVES

[TomClash]

Having worked in a NH Dem Primary campaign before I know how hard it is for a candidate like Obama to win. In two virtually all-white, nonurban, purple states, Obama finished first and a close second. Last night, he lost a close to a well-oiled, aging baby-boomer machine that desperately played the gender card and called in a lot of chits to remain in the game. Using that frame of reference, Obama's showing is a pretty damn impressive result.

He stayed positive in his message, soared in speech and championed fairness and justice; he has awakened an apathetic generation of voters who feel helpless, used, irrelevant and lost. His main rival, one of my senators, may have won last night, but the way she won lost my vote, perhaps forever.

We've got a race and that's good for the Democratic Party. Voters in other states get to vote when it matters - those voters are no longer an afterthought.

Big up yourselves - you're doing a fantastic job - better than anyone had the right to expect. But as an African-American posted on this site after Iowa, white Obama supporters are going to find out what it's like to be a black man in America. Keep it positive and when you see and hear the dirty tactics, call them on it - and then stay on the positive message. You just might win this thing.