You want them to hear the desperate cries of the Iraq Veteran who contacts the campaign to say he is contemplating suicide.  Or the e-mail from the married father of two who already tried.  You want them to meet the Gold Star mother who calls for gas money, so she can afford to take one of the guys from her son's unit to the VA for rehab.  Or the Vietnam Vet who has weeks to live because of Agent Orange exposure, and has had his VA benefits denied for years.  And the list goes on, and on and on...

Every day, these are just some of the people who are reaching out--from across the country---to the Charlie Brown for Congress Campaign.  

They're not calling to volunteer, contribute, schedule a meeting or inquire about a policy position.  They aren't even calling to express their support or opposition to Charlie's candidacy.  

They called to ask for help.

It begs the question, why would anyone call a Congressional Challenger who has never held public office before for help?

You have to remember that Charlie Brown is no ordinary politician---in fact he has, in the span of less than two election cycles, transcended politics as most of us know it.

Charlie's making history not by virtue of who he is (though one could argue that a Congressman who is a career military officer, husband of a veteran, and father to a son who has done 4 rotations in Iraq is far from typical these days), but what he is doing to address one of the many OLD problems on which politicians have over promised and under delivered for years--the plight of America's war veterans.

I came back to fight for Charlie because I knew that this campaign took a different approach to solving problems---leadership by example. With Charlie's "Promises Kept Veteran's Charity Challenge," we're seeing community based organizations that fill in the gaps for veterans get the support they so badly need.  The 5% of campaign contributions that Charlie is giving these groups helps to keep the lights on at shelters, supply those places with blankets and food and office supplies, and help pay for qualified counselors to do outreach on the streets.

But the commitment of Charlie's campaign goes beyond money.  It's a frequently something even more valuable--a live voice on the other end of the line when crisis comes.    

And when those calls come, it's not about winning and losing elections---it's about saving lives.

The stories of veterans who call us very often break your heart---but they also remind us what a different kind of campaign can mean for people in need right now---long before voters go to the polls next November.  

It also inspires hope---because as we work with callers to help them find solutions, we can't help but think what a little Charlie Brown in Washington could mean for hundreds of thousands of veterans who are waiting in line for benefits, or struggling to deal with invisible scars, or trying to rebuild lives that have been shattered by war.  

Or what it can mean on energy independence, healthcare, or so many other "old problems" where the results from Washington simply don't match the rhetoric we've been hearing for years.

My entire life, I was brought up to believe that honesty, hard work and determination make up the character of a person. And if you give a little back and fight for those who can't stand up for themselves, then you have done your share. I fight for Charlie because he embodies what I was raised to believe: that integrity and a sense of duty (not political ambition) win out at the end of the day.

I am flush with inspiration, and every time the phone rings, that much more flush with perspective.  But I know that true change cannot be accomplished in a vacuum---and that's why I wanted to share what's been happening here on the ground with the netroots---and I hope you will share it also.

The two leading Republicans in this race--Doug Ose and Tom McClintock---have spent $4 million dollars in 4 months.  Once you get through their endless stream of attack ads, their message comes down to "vote for me I'm more Republican than he is"--- and if you are looking for someone to take action, listen, or offer your family a little hope or dignity before November---look somewhere else...  

...I say look no further than Charlie Brown.

Neil Pople
Director of Online Communications