You have changed the conversation. 34,446 of you, to be exact.

Now let's start a new conversation together: What does it mean to be a Democrat?

Five days of non-stop online and offline activism. 34,466 people signing on and spreading the word. 40 Democratic Clubs and progressive organizations organizing virtually overnight to try to pass the resolution to censure Senator Dianne Feinstein.

Your actions helped the Courage Campaign, MoveOn, and Progressive Democrats of America begin the process of holding the Senator accountable for her pivotal Judiciary Committee votes to confirm Judges Michael Mukasey and Leslie Southwick -- and her potential future vote to give immunity to telecom companies for warrantless wiretapping.

Did the censure resolution pass? No. It wasn’t even debated. At least officially.

Unofficially? The debate dominated the event, symbolized by the Chair's passionate speech, in which he told us that he communicated your concerns to the Senator. Everywhere we went, the discussion of Senator Feinstein's votes confirming Bush administration nominees -- who condone torture, racism, and homophobia -- catalyzed conversations around fundamental questions like the following:

What does it mean to be a Democrat? What are our core values as progressives? How do we hold our elected officials accountable for compromising those values?

It's a discussion that scares some people inside the party. While Art Torres welcomed the dialogue created by your dissent, Bob Mulholland -- the Chair's top aide -- tried to crush it. Party leaders were caught in the middle, feeling conflicted by the perceived need to close ranks behind the Senator, if not its most senior strategist.

We just put together a YouTube video of what happened in Anaheim at the Executive Board meeting. Click here to watch it, react, and continue the conversation. Your words will be sent to Senator Dianne Feinstein and CDP Chair Art Torres as the foundation of a request to open a new dialogue with Democrats and progressives.