The blog Firedoglake continues its forceful opposition to letting Larry Sinclair have a forum at the National Press Club.

Here is the latest email from Jane Hamsher at Firedoglake:

"This morning a group of volunteers delivered nearly 11,500 petition signatures to the National Press Club asking them to check the facts of Larry Sinclair's story before giving him the stage.

"But it looks like we need to keep pressure on the National Press Club getting the message yet.

"Friday, as news was getting around Washington about our petition, the president of the National Press Club, Sylvia Smith, defended the event to the Politico, saying, 'I'm not aware that we've ever turned anybody away for content.'

"It's up to us to convince her to do just that.

"Please give a call to the National Press Club at 202-662-7500, and politely, but firmly, ask them to deny their stage to someone bent on slandering a public figure.

"Their own code of ethics states, 'I believe that advertising, news and editorial columns should alike serve the best interests of readers; that a single standard of helpful truth and cleanness should prevail for all; that supreme test of good journalism is the measure of its public service.'

"Sinclair's lies about sex and drug use don't even come close to meeting that simple criterion. Hopefully a gentle reminder to review their own code of ethics will be enough to get the National Press Club to cancel the event.

"Thank you for taking action,

Jane Hamsher and the Firedoglake Team"

The "gun to a fight" references Obama's speech in Philly Friday, where he said, "If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun. Because from what I understand, folks in Philly like a good brawl. I've seen Eagles fans."

Funny, this is the exact phrase a friend and loyal Indiana Dem used some months ago, re: Obama strategy. He was urging the senator to get tough. He has.

As for the NPC, I can handle whichever way it goes. Either way, it's a heck of a story. Sinclair is shut out; he'll continue his crusade, amid even more squawking. He speaks, and ideally, his story gets national media scrutiny -- and dismissal in a very public forum.