Down, But Not Out

I was up way past midnight last night doing interviews, making calls to key allies around the country, analyzing voting results from key precincts – searching for any good news I could find.

Alas, once Pennsylvania and Ohio were put in the Obama column, there was no realistic way for Senator McCain to win the election. Senator McCain ran 25 points ahead of President George Bush’s 23% approval rating, but even that fell short of the 50.1% of the vote needed to win.

There are some bright spots, however, and I will provide a more detailed report on the results later today. But I want to share these first thoughts with you right now.

The bottom line is clear and distressing. The country has just elected an untested, far left candidate to the presidency of the United States. From the sanctity of life to our national security, the implications are more than disturbing. And with news of Obama’s victory comes renewed violence in the Middle East. Not even 24-hours after Obama’s election, our Islamofascist enemies are on the move. I’m sure many of you are depressed and dispirited. I understand. I am down too. But I urge you not to spend your time wallowing in defeat.

Some may choose to waste their energy pointing fingers and forming circular firing squads. That’s not what Ronald Reagan did in 1976, and petty vindictiveness does not build up effective coalitions or win elections. We live in a free country. There will be other elections. In the meantime, there will be major battles over life, marriage, war and peace, taxes, judges and a host of things we can’t even anticipate right now.

After 2000 and 2004, the radical Left did not fold up and go away quietly. It immediately redoubled its efforts to defeat us. Leftwing groups organized, raised money, registered voters and, finally, yesterday they succeeded. Will we be as tough and committed as they were? Or will we slink away demoralized and defeated?

I have already made my decision. I intend to fight! I intend to do everything I can to save innocent unborn children and preserve normal marriage. I will defend our country from the Islamofascists and resist the Big Government socialists who want to turn us into Europe. I will defend free enterprise and the entrepreneurs who grow our economy and create jobs. I am counting on not being alone. Can I count on you?