Pam from Texas is a soldier for freedom. This is not a cakewalk.

I love Rush Limbaugh as much as Pam does. But his dismissal today of the facts got me ruffled. Pam is from Texas, is in Virginia, and will be in Ohio until it is time for her to vote. She is doing what a lot of people can’t do, due to their circumstances, and is doing frankly, what a lot of people would never do. She is personally taking the election in her own hands.

Here is the transcript from today’s exchange. It took a lot of guts for her to call Rush, wait forever, and tell him that there is something he is doing that worries her.

CALLER: Anyway, I love you, and this is an absolute honor to speak with you, and what I wanted to call you about is I am a bit concerned that you’re being too optimistic. I think you’re projecting an image that this may end up being a cakewalk. It’s not gonna be. I believe we’re ahead in the polls, I believe all those things, but we are up against the mainstream media. We all know they’re a hundred percent in the tank for Obama. They’re not projecting the good things about what’s happening within the grassroots efforts of –

RUSH: They never do.

CALLER: I know.

RUSH: How would you prefer that I act, Pamela?

CALLER: Well, actually, I think maybe just some healthy skepticism. And here’s my point. I want everybody to act as if we’re running behind and that their efforts depend on us actually winning this race. Now, what I’m saying is, I’m calling from Hampton, Virginia. I live in Texas. I am here because I’m working, knocking on doors, I’m being a volunteer in the state of Virginia. I’m going back home tonight. I’m leaving Monday and I’ll be in Ohio until the election’s over with. But my point is we’ve got to get out and do our part.

RUSH: Do you think we’re being out-hustled? Do you think we don’t have an ground game that can compete?

CALLER: We do have a ground game that can compete, but they’re busy, believe me, guys, they’re working. The other side does have a good ground game. I think that that’s the –

RUSH: I will gladly — if you want to hear more pessimism, I can do that.

CALLER: No, Rush, I’m not suggesting pessimism. My point in talking –

RUSH: Well, you don’t like optimism –

CALLER: Rush, I love optimism, I do, but here’s what I want everybody to do. Everybody get out and do something. Regardless of where you are. You can make phone calls from home.

RUSH: Why do you think people aren’t? And why do you think that’s not being said to people? Why do you think that you have to call any radio show to urge people to do that? Do you think most of the people on our side are not engaged that way? How did 2010 happen? How did it happen? How did that landslide happen? And what has changed to make people less energetic or enthusiastic since then?

CALLER: Probably nothing. My point, though, Rush, is just that I want to somehow project to people that we’ve got to work hard until the very end and do whatever we possibly can ’cause I sense that there’s so many people that are sitting back and they’re not sending in five dollars to different campaigns –

RUSH: Why do you think that? Have you seen Romney’s numbers?

CALLER: Oh, I absolutely did see his numbers.

RUSH: Did you see his money numbers?

CALLER: I did.

RUSH: This is very helpful. Am I creating the impression this election is over and nobody has to do anything, it’s just the media’s lying to everybody and this is in the tank and –

CALLER: No, no. I’m not saying that at all, Rush, and if I have, I apologize. I guess I’m just concerned. I want to make sure that we work as though we are a few points behind and that we do our part. You know, it’s difficult sometimes to get people to come to work. I know in Dallas we’ve had a few issues with campaigns — or people not coming in when we want them to, and probably because Texas is not, you know, a battleground state. And in Virginia, yes, it’s true, they could use some more help. All of these states can use some more help. If anybody is listening that has any inkling that they may be able to add to the campaign, you know, in the form of making phone calls or whatever, get out and do it. Gosh, I’m sorry, I’m so nervous, Rush.

RUSH: Well, I understand. I understand. I’m up against a time break here I can’t avoid; I’ve gotta take it. But I’d like to thank you for the call

This woman has taken the future of this nation in her hands. She took time to call Rush to explain that regardless of popular vote polls, the battleground states are being manned by the Obama campaign, and we need more people to help in these states.

You know how you think you know Rush because you spend 15 hours a week with him? It’s true, we know him, he doesn’t know us individually, but we know he appreciates us.

So, as listeners, we hear what he is saying and have a sense of understanding of what he is trying to do. There is nothing wrong with optimism. Optimism is wonderful. Romney and Ryan are exuding optimism for the future.

Where I think Rush needs to listen to Pam is, that when she describes the battle, and that she is concerned, he pushed back with the opposite, pessimism.

She was not being pessimistic, conservatives are optimistic people, but, there is a realistic lesson here.

If we don’t take Virginia, Ohio and other states that did not vote Republican last go-round, we are not going to win the White House. Then, there is the Senate to contend with. The two states she mentioned, Ohio and Virginia, are crucial to win the Senate. We are losing House seats, but we should keep the House. If we lose the Presidency and Senate because people in states that are not battleground states believe we are winning, and do not take this race into their own hands like Pam is, we may lose.

Personally, I do not have the time and finances to do as Pam is, but I know people who can. Boots on the ground in these key states will help immeasurably.

I do not like criticizing Rush Limbaugh, he has done so much to help the nation understand conservatism. However, if I was sitting in his Attila the Hun chair, I would have thanked Pam profusely, and encouraged others who can swing it, to do the same as she.

A good realistic exercise to utilize is the Real Clear Politics electoral map. There is a “Create your own map” button at the bottom of it. Romney was ahead in their estimation a couple days ago, and as we all know, a lot can happen in a dozen days.

The polls are saying the Romney will take Florida and North Carolina, so I put those in his column, I then thought, what if Pam and the Virginians take Virginia? I put Virginia in the Romney column. Things are tenuous in Colorado, Nevada, and Iowa, so, if those go Obama, we have to get Ohio and one other state. Romney began his campaign in New Hampshire, his back yard. If we can put New Hampshire in the Romney column, he needs Ohio or Pennsylvania. Using different angles, you can see that it’s down to basically 4 states, IF he wins the aforementioned.

What I’m saying is, ignore what-ifs, maybes, I-feel-good-abouts and all of the rest. The reality is that this race is down to a few states that may not be reflected in the popular vote polls.

Pam is an outstanding activist. If we win the popular vote but lose the electoral, optimism that ignores reality will lose the country.

We need more Pams and cautious, but active optimism.