Apparently, it was the largest campaign rally in decades, if not ever, surpassing 100,000 people. Make sure you look at the photos in the linked story. I love Philadelphia.

We are truly energized here in southeast Pennsylvania. ACT ran their trial run for 2004 here during the mayoral election last year, and as a result we have registered 300,000 new Democrats in Philadelphia alone. I know that for many people, coming to volunteer in Pennsylvania is no longer seen as a top-tier priority, as there is no Nader on the ballot, Bush hasn't passed 47 here since early September, and Kerry has led in every poll since mid-September. Heck, most of the time, Bush does not even reach 46 here.

However, turning Pennsylvania blue has ramifications far beyond the Presidential race. In southeast Pennsylvania alone, we have four competitive House seats (the 6th, 8th, 13th and 15th), three of them currently held by Republicans. This is a result of perhaps the most ludicrously gerrymandered map in the country, which was passed even though Republicans hold very slim majorities in both houses of the state legislature (majorities also generated by crummy maps). We also have two Republican Senators who in the past have been elected by very narrow margins.

Pennsylvania is a state where for the past decade a very small Republican majority governed as though it was a 70% super majority, with only Rendell recently starting to plug the hole. They have drawn hideous congressional maps and repeatedly attempted to disenfranchise minorities. The state legislature seized the Philadelphia Convention Center and Parking authority, simply so it could be run by Republicans instead of us dirty Democrats in deep, dark blue Philly. Worst of all, they seized the school system here and turned it over to a for-profit company.

Pennsylvania is a microcosm of the entire nation, as a Republican Party run by radical reactionaries has for too long ruled a lean-Dem state with an iron fist. They seek to completely dismantle the public sector and use the levers of power to overthrow representative government. We cannot beat them nationwide until we beat them here. Help us do so today by donating to MyDD's favorite candidate, Ginny Schrader, who is running in the 8th CD against Michael Fitzpatrick, a Santorum-backed, future Tom Delay. A Kerry victory is essential, but turning things around in Pennsylvania is the first step toward a new Democratic America.