Across the country, the Democrats were having a reunion. They gathered in parks, in homes, they held picnics and barbeques, canvassing events and bake sales. In more than eight hundred locations, they gathered to mobilize and energize voters. They are preparing to see Democratic victories up and down the ballot on Election Day.

I checked the Democratic National Committee website for an event in my neighborhood. Leslie Lockwood was having a bake sale. I baked some cookies and headed to Leslie’s Bake sale. You wouldn’t have a hard time finding Leslie’s Bake sale, the signs outside her neighborhood said “Bake Sale Against Bush” with arrow pointing you towards her house. Along with the signs for local candidates, were signs left over from the ‘04 campaign that said Kerry/Edwards for President, some one had stuck bumper stickers on the bottom of the signs that said “Don’t Blame me, I voted for Kerry.” As you approached the table of baked goods, you also saw bumper stickers for the “GOP, Grand Oil Party” and Democratic Party literature. An American flag hung from the porch. Gathered around her front yard was a collection of liberal Democrats. They shared memories of past grassroots organizing experiences and complained about the current state of the world. At one point they began discussing the pros and cons of digging up Franklin Roosevelt and cloning him and running him as the Democratic candidate. Leslie had more than enough donations of baked goods for a successful bake sale.

Leslie is a veteran bake sale organizer. During the ’04 campaign, Leslie had a bake sale every weekend. She Raised $2, 500 for the ’04 campaign. Imagine if every neighborhood had a Leslie Lockwood. What if in every neighborhood there was a bake sale raising funds for the Democratic Party? What if they had bake sale every weekend? Even if every bake sale only raised $100. A hundred dollars from every neighborhood, every weekend. That would make a difference. In addition, they are given the opportunity to speak to their neighbors, to get to know them, to tell them why the Democrats can take America in a new direction. How the Democrats can make us safer. How they can provide healthcare and education for all. How in the last forty years the Democrats have been the only one to balance the budget. How we can have an economy that benefits all and not just the CEO’s. How the American Dream can be achieved. How many bake sales until the Democrats are back in power?