When I made my decision to run against Joe Lieberman for the Senate Seat he has held for 18 years in Connecticut, I had to ask myself a question. Did I believe there were enough people in this state and in this country who felt as I did, that our great nation was facing a crisis of leadership that threatened to transform us into a country I no longer recognized? I worried for my children, that theirs would be a legacy of war, pollution, debt and fear if the powers that be went unchecked. But I knew it would take more than one man alone to confront the insidious politically entrenched status quo with 63 lobbyists for every congressman. It would take an entire movement.
When no one else would step up to challenge Senator Lieberman and everything he represents, my family and I made the decision that the time was indeed right. I hoped that the fundamental humanity and decency of everything America stands for in its core values would call upon others as it had me to rise up and say no more. And when the final votes were tallied at the state's Democratic convention, our faith was vindicated. In the face of unbelievable odds and some pressure from the party brass, Connecticut Democrats called out for change. My belief in our party, our delegates, and in the people of my state has never been firmer.
I realize that our campaign would have been much more difficult without the netroots. I never had to make promises I did not want to keep to big donors because netroots citizens gave five, ten, twenty dollars at a time to my campaign with no strings attached. Before the mainstream media were taking us seriously, bloggers told my story with honesty and insight and compassion. The free exchange of comments and ideas in the blogosphere carried the tale and forced the traditional media to take notice. Ordinary people with video cameras, with petitions, with websites volunteering their time and their passion forged an army that no K Street lobbying money could buy. To all of you I am eternally grateful.
We cannot bring about change until we are willing to take up arms for a cause we believe in, and we will not carry the day until we can imagine that victory is possible. Each and every one of you is a hero to me today for daring to imagine that it is so.