After seeing your recent quotes about how you were proudly standing up to the blogs, I wanted to write you an open letter on my new blog, and invite you to respond. I'm not going to pretend to try and speak for the broader blogosphere, because the movement is way too diverse for that, and I am a latecomer to it. But I fear that you fundamentally misread this community.

As I think you know, in spite of our disagreements on some major issues like how quickly to move the troops out of Iraq, I still have warm regards for you. I respect your knowledge of foreign policy, your skill as a senator in legislative fights, your passion and, yes, your bluntness.

It pains me, though, to see your disdain and, I think, ignorance, about the millions of people who are active in politics through the internet: the members of groups like MoveOn.org, the writers and readers of blogs, the activists who get information and sign petitions and take digital cameras to political events and organize local events through the internet. These are the people who- through their money and volunteer work and passion- are at the center of helping to revitalize the Democratic Party.

I know politics is about picking fights, but I don't understand how it helps you or the broader issues you care about to be so dismissive and cavalier of the millions of passionate and committed activists who care deeply about the future of the country. When the folks in this movement speak of taking back our party, we should be clear: we do want to take it back from the inside-the-Beltway elite punditry, and give more ownership to grassroots activists who are the heart and soul of our party. What exactly is wrong with that?

Does the debate on the blogs get intense sometimes? It sure does. I've been called all kinds of bad names in my brief time as a blogger. But from the intensity, from the interactivity, from the heated dialogue, I have found that great things are being forged.

Don't be ready to so lightly trash a whole movement of people vital to our party's success in 2008, whoever the candidate is. Come out and engage us honestly and sincerely, and be willing to take some heat. If you actually engage with grassroots activists, I guarantee you will learn something that the inside-the-Beltway pundits can't tell you.

I hope you will answer me back. Tell people in the blogosphere why you believe what you believe about Iraq, how your plan is the best plan for bringing our troops home and getting us out of this mess. Tell folks about your plans for rebuilding America at home. And then stand in the kitchen and feel the heat. It can be a tough and scary place to be, but it's worth it.

Mike Lux