1. Don't get excited over polls. They go up and down, they are all figured according to different demographic weighting, they change from day to day. If you must pay attention to polls, look at the trends and the average of the polls. The Gallup Daily Tracking poll is pretty worthless. I have yet to see a poll where McCain breaks 44%. Obama goes up and down from the mid forties to the low fifties, but McCain is stuck.
2. Keep pushing your issues if you want, but don't expect Barack Obama to obey you. He is in this election to win and he has to attend to a lot of issues and public opinion other than yours. He also has to be true to himself and his own beliefs which on some things are progressive and on some things are more moderate. Keep in mind two things: 1) it is one thing to be an activist, another to be a candidate who really wants to get elected. The two may sometimes be in conflict. 2) Winning elections and governing are two different things. Winning elections involves appealing to a majority of the people, a majority of whom may not be as progressive as you. Goverining means compromising with the opposition when you can't persuade them to agree with you.
3. Always remember that no matter how Obama may disappoint you on one or more issues, McCain would be 1000 times worse. Also remember that opposing Obama too vigorously may hurt his ability to win because conservative will pick up your negative comments and use them against him. Look at how hard they are working to pick off Hillary supporters.
4. Never, ever, ever trust the opposition. The Republicans will do anything, say anything, steal anything, and violate any law or ethical guideline to win. Even when they seem to be praising your candidate, don't trust them. It's a trick meant to make you complacent and overconfident. Stick together and see this election as a war that must be waged with great intelligence. And remember that your candidate has a perspective that you don't and just may be doing what he needs to do - even if you don't like it - so that he can become the next president where he will change things in ways that will mostly please you and more importantly, greatly improve conditions in this country and around the world.
5. Never, ever forget what the past eight years have been like, because eight years under McCain would be worse. He's a hothead, a warmonger, not terribly bright, clueless about the economy, stuck on his "specialness" as a POW and "war hero" and he can't seem to do or say anything without former democrat and McCain suck-up Joe Lieberman at his side. Have you ever known any other presidential candidate who couldn't go anywhere or do anything without the same elected official next to him?
One thing the Republicans have always been able to do is unite their party and keep everyone on message. They aren't doing as well this year, which is to our advantage, but don't underestimate their desire to win. They will pull together before this is over and do everything they can to make Obama a scary, unamerican black person. The least we can do for him, for our party, and for our country, is stick together, back him up, and keep our unhappiness with some of his decisions out of the media.
That is, if we really are serious about winning this time.
