Well, it’s nice to be sleeping in my own bed after three weeks on the road. The body feels good after the 600-mile bike Ride For Peace. And the spirit feels strong, too, after we managed to actually inject a little substance into the New York State Democratic convention in Buffalo.

If our campaign, backed by the signatures of 2,500 people throughout the state, had not been in Buffalo, the delegates at the Democratic convention would have never heard the words “Iraq war.” Can you believe that? Democrats refusing to debate the Iraq war? Ignoring the dying and destruction and the economic toll that this illegal, immoral war has brought on our country and the Iraqi people?

My opponent, Hillary Clinton, did everything possible to stop the debate and avoid the Iraq war. Prior to the convention, after delegates faxed in their expression of support for our petition resolution to the state party headquarters, my opponent personally made phone calls, trying to undercut support for the petition, which called for the immediate end to the war (I did wonder about this ethical question: why the state party staff, which should remain neutral in this race, handed over the names of our supporters to the Clinton campaign). And, as reporters noted to me, the incumbent’s promotional 18-minute video that was shown to the delegates prior to her coronation did not mention the Iraq war once. That’s how she honors the men and women who have died in Iraq and continue to risk their lives there—she ignores them.

It's been a great first week on the road. I'm going to post a longer report to the blog on the Ride For Peace as soon as I get a moment to breathe--we've had such great response from people, it's quite humbling and exciting at the same time.

I was struck this morning by the article in The New York Times about the numbers of the Iraqi middle class who are fleeing from their country. As The Times reports, "In the latest indication of the crushing hardships weighing on the lives of Iraqis, increasing portions of the middle class seem to be doing everything they can to leave the country. In the last 10 months, the state has issued new passports to 1.85 million Iraqis, 7 percent of the population and a quarter of the country's estimated middle class."

I was honored to receive the endorsement of the Village Independent Democrats (as well as Brooklyn Democrats For Change). Here's one VID member's view of the Senate race:

Last night the oldest progressive Democratic club in NYC held its candidates endorsement meeting.

Hotly debated was the primary race for US Senator.

Numbers of members spoke to the club on why they were supporting the anti-war, pro-labor, immigrant rights advocate and same sex civil marriage supporter, peace and justice candidate Jonathan Tasini.

VID members who had endorsed and worked in Hilary Clinton's first US Senate election made clear that Senator Clinton with her pro-invasion vote (which even at this late point she has not repudiated), her waffling on issues like a woman's right to choose and the immigration issue has walked away from progressive issues she once seemed to embrace.

Today, I will begin the 600-mile bike Ride For Peace. You can read all about the Ride and join me in the Ride--or support it by signing the petition or making a contribution--by clicking on the cool icon to the right on this page (and we have really neat T-shirts to sell with the logo!)

Here is the prepared text of my statement to the press which I will give at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in New York City at 2 p.m.:

We stand before the Vietnam Memorial to remember the cost of war.

We remember PFC Louis E. Willett who served with Company C, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. He was killed during a firefight in Kontum province on 15 February 1967. He was 21 when he was killed.

It's hard to find a media outlet that has done more damage than FOX to our country and to the principles that make us proud to be Democrats. FOX has been a willing mouthpiece for the Administration, especially on the issue of the war in Iraq. It has carried on a consistent assault on basic progressive ideas, attacking social security, fair treatment of workers, immigrants, gays and lesbian rights...the list goes on.

So, it must be disturbing for New York voters to hear about this reported in today's issue of the Financial Times: "Rupert Murdoch, the conservative media mogul whose New York Post tabloid savaged Hillary Clinton's initial aspirations to become a US senator for New York, has agreed to host a political fundraiser for her re-election campaign."