Huffington Magazine Issue 21 | Page 43

GERALD MARTINEAU/THE WASHINGTON POST/GETTY IMAGES THREE DAYS IN OCTOBER ground game. Their grassroots organization, he said, would carry them through the last month. “I think Citizens United has so changed the air wars that at the end, people are going to pick up their TVs and throw it out of their living rooms, metaphorically, and look at their family and friends, and neighbors, and say, ‘What do I do here?’ And that’s the moment that we have a huge advantage,” he said. Messina noted that he was go- HUFFINGTON 11.04.12 ing to “work every day for the next 40 days to win this election.” But then, for a moment, he permitted himself to savor the near future after an Obama win. He would, he said, “take a deep breath and go watch the University of Montana beat Montana State.” Messina is a University of Montana alum. The intrastate grudge match is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17, 11 days after the election. “Baucus and I are going. We already have our seats,” Messina said, referring to his old boss, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.). Jim Messina, Obama’s campaign manager.