“The teams that really believe in each other understand the game is not over,” defensive player Chuck Darby said of the team’s response to the loss of Alexander and the team’s turnovers.

“If your brother went out there and fumbled the ball, go out there and get the ball back for him. Let him know we’re going to get the ball back. That’s how you win games. If you feel sorry for yourself, it’s over.”


    – From “Drought is over! Team overcomes loss of Alexander, three fumbles,” Seattle Times


    – Image Caption: “Two decades of disappointment dissolve into celebration at Qwest Field after the Seahawks’ 20-10 victory over Washington on Saturday.”


Words from a defensive football player — and the meaning of a victory in rain-soaked Seattle — that can inspire us Democrats. We pick up the ball. We just keep trying, and that’s how we’ll win. Here are some examples of those who are trying, and those who are challenging us to try harder. These are not self-congratulatory selections. These are slaps in the face:


Truer words (that sting): “George Bush would be in severe political trouble if there were an opposition political party in the country. Just about every day, they’re shooting themselves in the foot. The striking fact about contemporary American politics is that the Democrats are making almost no gain from this. The only gain that they’re getting is that the Republicans are losing support.” (Noam Chomsky to Geov Parrish, Alternet)


Coming up with a play: “[T]he choice George Bush will offer the nation regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions is either (a) leaky and ineffective sanctions or (b) air strikes … Maybe diplomacy will work and Iran will back down. But just in case it doesn’t, Dems would be wise to start thinking about whether (a) or (b) — or some hypothetical (c) — is the right policy. … We can gripe and complain about the perfidy of Karl Rove all we like, but it’s idiocy not to think seriously about a subject that’s at least 50% likely to be a major campaign issue. And the sooner the better.” (Kevin Drum at Wa Monthly)


Check the facts: “The Washington Post … gives major play this morning to an attack of Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) on the website of the (until now) obscure Cybercast News Service. … [serious, detailed fact-checking by Murray Waas follows, including a scathing commentary on the poor news reporting by the Washington Post] … regarding the purported allegations by the late Rep. Saylor that Rep. Murtha did not deserve his Purple Hearts, the Washington Post is relying on the reporting of the Cyercast News Service, which is in turn is relying on comments made years ago by Harry Fox, who is in turn is quoting the late Congressman Saylor– who died all the way back in 1973. The Post should have done a much better job of making this clear in their story– in my humble opinion– if they should have even published a story at all.” (Murray Waas, at his blog, Whatever Already!)


Tom Delay is “Toast” and There’s a Dem Makin’ a Sneak Play: Suddenly yesterday the news filtered up to the great national news gatekeepers — weeks and maybe months after Texas bloggers began posting on this subject — and allowed as how Tom DeLay is losing in his own Texas District 22. Not just losing, but sinking, tanking, dying. He’s got some Republican would-be replacements running in the primary and one Republican turned Independent, but Nick Lampson, the Democrat, is polling the strongest so far for the mid-terms. (Prairie Weather blog)


The Imperial Presidency at Work … and our plan is?: “You would think that Senators Carl Levin and John McCain would have learned by now that you cannot deal in good faith with a White House that does not act in good faith. Yet both men struck bargains intended to restore the rule of law to American prison camps. And President Bush tossed them aside at the first opportunity.” (NYT Editorial)


We have lots of balls in the air. And we’ve punted too goddamn many times, dammit! Question is: Will we help our brothers? And, the thing to remember is that if the Seahawks can survive and put an end to over two decades of no playoff victories, so can we … let’s get to it!


… here’s a start …. Nick Lampson for Congress …