AND NOW...

The Democratic Convention is over. We have celebrated and congratulated; applauded and lauded; extolled and feted. Rightly so, we have let our hopes become tears of joy and our dreams become giddy dances. Whether slow smiles or exuberant high fives, we passed through a moment in history with the pleasure of the long denied, the satisfaction of a long sought goal won. A woman, Hillary Rodham Clinton, is a Presidential nominee.

And now...

Now we go back to work, for this has merely been half time. A time out in the tough work of moving our country forward and letting Hillary lead us on that path. Time out in the race to add enough votes to make the final score a win.

So for every pull on your heart of deep seated pleasure this week, do these things.

Register to vote if you have not. Be sure you know when, where and how to cast your vote. Learn the rules. Next, register others. Hand them the materials. Family. Friends. Everyone. Take them to sign up. Buy them coffee and ask them to help too.

Find the Clinton headquarters in your town. Volunteer. Put up signs. Go door-to-door. Make phone calls. Text, tweet and Instagram. Talk to your neighbors. Have friends to coffee.

Go to www.HillaryClinton.com  Donate. Then donate again. Sign up to volunteer. Make phone calls. Donate.

On election day; vote, make calls, drive voters to the polls.

Work every day until the election because that's what it will take.

The work is not done. The game is not over. The prize is not won.
It takes a village.

BLUE WOMAN IN A RED STATE

Idaho was really a footnote to Super Tuesday. The Democrats were caucusing, but in the reddest state. We made the crawl on the television coverage, but never the patter and certainly never the "critical to success" discussion.

Yet Idaho Democrats came to caucuses in droves, led by Idaho youth and spurred by an incredibly organized Obama campaign. It was big, noisy, constantly changing and a messy challenge to manage. But oh, it was inspiring.

And yet. On a personal level it was one of the toughest political decisions I have ever made.

I like Hillary. I like Barack. Without belaboring policy details, in my opinion either candidate would make a fine president.

At first blush, Hillary seems to be ready made for a boomer, feminist woman. And I deeply, personally would like to vote for a woman president before I die. It may seem a limited dream, but something in that vote would validate all the hard work, tough times and supreme effort put in by those of us who fought for and continue to fight for equality.

Any woman, of any political persuasion, my age or older who denies the passion for that opportunity is lying to you (or to herself).

And yet. I caucused for Obama. Yes, I like him too. Yes, he seems a little more right on my issues. Yes, he has captured the Kennedy Camelot youthful enthusiam; maybe surpassed it. Yes, I believe he will make a great president. Yes, that is also a history making vote.

But too long in politics, the final balance was swayed by one simple factor; his electability. We simply must have regime change. Maybe I'm asking too much. But I don't just want to vote for the first woman presidential candidate. I want to vote for the first woman president.