To My Friends at DU, DW, and PI: Happy Pennsylvania Primary Eve!!!

First, to those of you who have expressed concerns about my Crohn's: yes, it's serious, and yes, I'm getting appropriate treatment now. My prognosis is good enough.

Second, to those of you who have expressed shock and surprise at my hiatus from DW: I will be forming my own board, in accordance with my vision for what is needed to win the Primaries and the General Election for Obama.

Suggestions for how to make that board a model of progressive thought, good fun, and superior modding and Oppo Research are wholeheartely welcomed.

Sadly, as of 4:15 p.m. ET, I still had no response to the following, left via the Contact Us feature at DW:

BigJerr -

I infer from the fact that you've blocked my IP address from even browsing DW, that I am no longer welcome.

I honestly don't know what to infer from your silence. There's no need to act like that.

Here is what I propose:

1. You remove all of my posts from DW.

2. You set my account profile title to Inactive.

3. You post a simple, locked message saying that you and I have agreed that it is best that I start my own message board, since we don't see eye-to-eye on what constitutes effective Oppo Research.

4. You and I keep talking, to see if there are opportunities for us to collaborate. I'll continue to learn from you, and - with any luck - you'll continue to learn from me. In time, perhaps, you'll come to see that I know what I'm doing when it comes to such things as PR, MarCom, and Political Battlechessing.

5. If there is anything else you need from me, I'm not a mind-reader. You're going to have to cowboy up and say something.

- Dave

P.S. It's probably counterproductive to call Ides SCUM. If I were in your shoes, I think I'd let that one go, unless your intent is to escalate. Then, by all means, keep it up there. Personally, I think most rationals will view it as making you look weak and scared, and is apt to provoke another round.

P.P.S. This will be posted on my blog at 4:15 p.m. ET, to quell the rumors, if I haven't heard from you by then.

I sincerely hope that all parties decide that collegiality and collaboration in fighting the common foe that is John McCain is more important than a MeloTraumatic board/blog war.

The only thing I can say on the Pennsylvania Primary Eve is that I miss the community of friends over there at DW, and I wish I'd been allowed to participate in the pre-primary festivities. Next round of the primaries (assuming she isn't forced out of the race after tomorrow), it'll be my house, my rules. All are welcome, and the rules will be clear.

- Dave