The victory came through the hard work of millions within the progressive peace and justice movement within the past six years, bolstered by a values shift among the majority of Americans and their growing demand and faith in change — including an end to war.  It is a victory for the movement and inspiration for further change!

“Americans have stood up to say they know the cost of war in lives, dignity and money,” said Jodie Evans, CODEPINK cofounder. “Being against war is the winning decision. They are ready for change. War is so over.”

This victory will make it much harder for politicians to submit to the greed of Wall Street and the war machine, bending their own morals, by supporting war — as they have for the past six years.

But CODEPINK’s work is not nearly over. CODEPINK members will be in the halls of Congress and in city halls nationwide, using playful, disarming methods to remind politicians of the change their constituents demand and shine a pink light on any absurdities and abuses of power. They will urge them to end the occupation of Iraq and provide reparations for its people, to refuse to send troops to another losing war in Afghanistan, to create a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran, to restore our civil liberties and protect our environment, to bail out homeowners in foreclosure because of predatory lenders, and to create a NEW New Deal for America: jobs, housing, universal health care, education, roads and public transportation.

“We can’t stop now,” said Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK cofounder. “An Obama administration will need our help to live up to its promises.”

Austin CODEPINKERS Jim and Heidi Halperin dressed up in their finest JC-Penney wear (ok, the pink sequinned tie was a little more upper crust than that) to declare the policies of Bush and McCain far too similar for the comfort of most Americans, unwed daughter mama or no.

Desiree and Nancy, a San Francisco organizer, posted to-do lists and calendars to the wall, placed little sacks of candy on each of our beds, and set out an incredible Middle Eastern spread with baklava, hummus and pita, and fresh fruit. After a week eating at the Merc, albeit seriously incredible organic food, it felt SO lovely to nibble and gab in a warm, homey kitchen again.

But the candy, the fancy pastry and the now-dark crystal lake outside (didn’t cha know it’s the land of the 10,000 lakes?) — the sweetness stops there. It’s RNC mode, baby. No more Misses Nice Ladies. We can be openly pissed at the past eight years without raining on an Obama parade. Big Oil, AT & T, Halliburton, Republican hawks — our bull’s eyes. A bit more sarcasm, a bit more anger, a bit more calling out. Here in the Twin Cities, if dissent is patriotic, we’ll be the biggest flag wavers in the bunch.