John Edwards electrifying speech endorsing Barack Obama may prove to be a watershed moment in the 2008 presidential election campaign. While Senator Obama has already all but wrapped up the Democratic nomination, John Edwards call for unity was perhaps the first step along the long but necessary road toward bringing Democrats together. And however much Obama supporters may dismiss Hillary Clinton's win in West Virginia, the Edwards endorsement certainly took away any residual sting from last night's result.

So how can we show our appreciation to John Edwards for his endorsement and calls for unity?

I'm going to keep this diary very short. I know I'm going to catch heat for posting this, but I think it needs to be pointed out. Make no mistake about it, I am very much pro-union and very much on the side of UAW, but as someone who has seen the affect the internet has had on American politics, I have my concerns.

Oh, those wacky Congressional Republicans! Drunk with power and beholden to their fringe base, they've exploited the tragedy of Terri Shiavo to try and score political points. Tom Delay and Bill Frist
must have figured that this was just another opportunity to use a wedge issue to get the Fundamentalist Right all worked up about the perceived threat of "Secular Liberals" and "Activist Judges"

Unfortunately for the Republicans, their public relations assault may be starting to backfire, as they've grossly underestimated how much the American people DO NOT want the government involved in these kinds of personal matters. The Republicans, of course, deny this is about politics, insisting that this all about their desire to foster a "Culture of Life"

Well, we've got a formal announcement from former Congressman Martin Frost that he is pursuing the chairmanship of the DNC. Telecom executive and big money donor Leo Hindery is possibly interested in the job. Howard Dean seems determined to either pusue the chairmanship himself or exert some serious influence on the direction of the party. Meanwhile, Simon Rosenberg, Harold Ickes, and a pair of former Democratic mayors continue to receive mention.

So, who would you vote for?

Let's make this diary about unconstructive anger! The ugliness of the November 3rd version of Daily Kos has some concerned, but it is natural to feel a certain amount of dejection after putting in so much time, effort, and money, only to fall  short. Believe it or not, the Republicans were having similar fits of apocalyptic predictions in 1996, after Clinton's victory.

So have at it, Kossacks. Hate Terry Mac? Tell everyone about it! Still have a grudge against Kerry for the Iowa Caucuses? Well, he's back to being a Senator, now! Shrub? Dick? "Dr. Evil" Bill Frist? Assholes, every last one of 'em! Chris Matthews. Rush Limbaugh. Candy Crowley. What a bunch of hacks!

The one guidline I would put on the diary is that you make a serious attempt to focus your blinding white rage on the enemy, not your fellow Kossacks. I know, it's not easy, since there is plenty of frustration and anger to spread around, but we have met the enemies...and we're not them!

With the just four days left before the election, the pep talk diaries and excited comments are coming hard and fast. These sort of motivational postings are really great, but I'm beggining to feel what I know to be the early effects of political burnout. Don't misunderstand me: I'm here for the long haul, win, lose, or contested outcome.

But since huge numbers of people are participating in their first election, I can only imagine the emotional rollercoaster that the newbies are having to cope with. At 23, this is the fifth election cycle I have participated in in some manner beyond voting. I'm experiencing many of same emotions as all of you, but they are becoming annoyingly familiar to me, if more amplified by the stakes of this particular election.

Okay, folks, I've been saving my first diary entry for a time when my thoughts could possibly be useful to the DKos community. Seeing that we are now less than a month away from the most important election in a generation, I think it the time has arrived to let it all hang out and give 110% for Kerry-Edwards.

Since the beginning of the primary season(and even before that, to some extent), this online community and many others like it have had a serious impact on both the media and the political process itself. However, as election day grows near, both the tactics and the stragety that have sustained the blogosphere will become incresingly marginal, at least as far as this election cycle goes.