Feeling Encouraged (UPDATED)

I've been feeling a final push for Kerry (or against Bush) in the last few days that has left me feeling good for Tuesday. First it was Andrew Sullivan's peice in The New Republic titled "Risk Management," where he makes public his support for John Kerry. Then yesterday it was The Economist coming out with their support of Kerry. Today it was Eminem's new video for his anti-Bush anthem "Mosh," which I finally watched today. None of the three is terribly supportive of Kerry, but they're all important. To have conservatives like Sullivan and the Economist coming out with their support of John Kerry for prisdent is a huge step. Then for Eminem to come out with this stirring call to arms for the MTV generation to get up and vote takes it a step further. I understand it's quite late in the game, but these kinds of things are big steps towards taking back the White House on the second of Novemember.

Sullivan looks at both candidates and while he doesn't particularly like Kerry, he is incredibly unhappy with the job that Bush has done in nearly every realm of politics. He concludes with this:

Kerry? I cannot know for sure. But in a democracy, you sometimes have to have faith that a new leader will be able to absorb the achievements of his predecessor and help mend his failures. Kerry has actually been much more impressive in the latter stages of this campaign than I expected. He has exuded a calm and a steadiness that reassures. He is right about our need for more allies, more prudence, and more tactical discrimination in the war we are waging. I cannot say I have perfect confidence in him, or that I support him without reservations. But not to support anyone in this dangerous time is a cop-out. So give him a chance. In picking the lesser of two risks, we can also do something less dispiriting. We can decide to pick the greater of two hopes. And even in these dour days, it is only American to hope.

Kerry offers us a hope for future of this country. A hope that we can regain some sense of dignity in the eyes of the world. Both pieces believe that we're better off changing horses midstream because it's quite clear that the horse we're riding now has taken us off course. The Economist concludes:

John Kerry says the war was a mistake, which is unfortunate if he is to be commander-in-chief of the soldiers charged with fighting it. But his plan for the next phase in Iraq is identical to Mr Bush's, which speaks well of his judgment. He has been forthright about the need to win in Iraq, rather than simply to get out, and will stand a chance of making a fresh start in the Israel-Palestine conflict and (though with even greater difficulty) with Iran. After three necessarily tumultuous and transformative years, this is a time for consolidation, for discipline and for repairing America's moral and practical authority. Furthermore, as Mr Bush has often said, there is a need in life for accountability. He has refused to impose it himself, and so voters should, in our view, impose it on him, given a viable alternative. John Kerry, for all the doubts about him, would be in a better position to carry on with America's great tasks.

As I stated earlier, neither is a particularly strong support of Kerry, however, these are both conservative publications and to see them leave Bush's side encourages me. If the democrats can win them, I feel good about the chances they can win this election.

Finally, Eminem's new video is something different. This is the first protest song by a mainstream artist with lots to say and a video that is equally impressive. Read these lyrics to get an idea of Eminem's rage and message [lyrics via: Sing365]:

Imagine it pouring, it's raining down on us
Mosh pits outside the oval office
Someone's tryina tell us something,
Maybe this is god just sayin' we're responsible
For this monster, this coward,
That we have empowered
This is Bin Laden, look at his head noddin'
How could we allow something like this without pumping our fists
Now this is our final hour
Let me be the voice in your strength and your choice
Let me simplify the rhyme just to amplify the noise
Try to amplify the times it, and multiply by six...
Teen million people, Are equal at this high pitch
Maybe we can reach alqueda through my speech
Let the president answer a higher anarchy
Strap him with an Ak-47, let him go, fight his own war
Let him impress daddy that way
No more blood for oil, we got our own battles to fight on our own soil
No more psychological warfare, to trick us to thinking that we ain't loyal
If we don't serve our own country, we're patronizing a hero
Look in his eyes its all lies
The stars and stripes, they've been swiped, washed out and wiped
And replaced with his own face, Mosh now or die
If I get sniped tonight you know why,
Cause I told you to fight.

I feel energized . . . hopefully it follows over to Tuesday.

UPDATE: MoveOn raised $173,000 in less than two hours today to run ads in Colorado, a state that's looking closer than anyone imagined.