Dear Friends,

Most of you have already broken out the champagne—it's been a great month, and thanks to the votes of millions of Americans, a new era of strength is growing on the left!

Now, let us focus that energy for good. On Veterans Day I went to visit the Vietnam Memorial. For those of you who haven't been there lately—the slab of black marble grows in height as you walk along the path, until what had seemed a manageable conflict looms overhead and overwhelms the visitor with names of troops who died protecting their brothers. This Congress was sent with a mandate to change course in Iraq. There are no good options at this point—but there are serious people trying to find a way to leave our failed war, while honoring the commitment we've made to the Iraqi people not to abandon them to ethnic cleansing. Truman Democrats will be doing our part to ask our leaders to walk that crucial line.

The Campaign

The Truman Project cannot be directly involved in campaigns—but we encourage our Principals, Associates, and general members to take part in campaigns so that they can be a part of the political process, and balance policy knowledge with political know-how. We are proud to report that in tight races in Pennsylvania, Montana, Indiana, New York and Missouri, Truman Democrats volunteered their time and talent—and helped win contests in these key battleground states.

Capitol Hill

With the new majorities on Capitol Hill and new responsibilities for governing, our work on Capitol Hill will take on added emphasis. We are visiting Senate and House offices to introduce new Members to the Truman Project. Through our upcoming National Security Boot Camp for Congressional staff, our ongoing Truman Project Speakers Series, and our networking events for Truman Democratic Hill staff, we will continue to provide education and forums for unifying the new Congress on tough security issues.

Educating Civilians on the Military

A major activity of the Truman Project is bridging the civilian-military gap, by helping Congressional staff improve their outreach to the military, educating civilians about the military and its values, and by providing forums for progressive civilians and troops to meet and get to know one another. Truman Principal Philip Carter, recently returned from Iraq, published a terrific Veterans Day op-ed that perfectly expresses some of the issues we work to explain. He argues that while many who serve in the military appreciate civilian support, they are uncomfortable with being called "heroes", and that such language can alienate troops rather than laud them.

Blogging

Members of the Truman Project have been providing a vanguard in the blogosphere defending a strong progressive worldview. Rachel has recently been made a permanent member of the writing community at TPM Café America Abroad, where she had been guest blogging this summer. Truman Principal Marc Grinberg is now featured as a guest commentator at Democracy Arsenal, the weblog where Truman Principal Michael Singer and Truman Fellows Derek Chollet and Lorelei Kelly are regular contributors. The Truman Project has also launched a diary on Daily Kos, one of the most widely read blogs on American politics.

Press on the Truman Project

John Lewis Gaddis reviews a new biography on Dean Acheson, referencing the Truman Project as a modern day comparison in his discussion of national security paradigms during the early Cold War.