We're doing some solid reporting. The nation is taking notice.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow discussed the 23rd Congressional District race last night - and she used some of the Watertown Daily Times' exemplary reporting to make part of her point.

If you're scoring at home, our stories have also been used by Newt Gingrich, Glenn Beck and (I've heard) Keith Olbermann to bolster arguments, provoke debate and get people thinking critically about this race.

We wouldn't be anywhere without our some great, in-depth reporting by Marc Heller, who's spent almost a decade covering north country issues in Washington - and who knows what faces our next congressman or congresswoman come Nov. 4.

I've also been aided in our coverage by Rob Brauchle, Martha Ellen, Beth Graham and Jamie Munks. And the reason I can do anything on this site past type is because of Rick Pominville, our Web manager.

The WDT isn't the only one kicking ass and taking names, to borrow a line from "Wall Street."

North County Public Radio's Brian Mann and David Sommerstein are complemeting their excellent reporting on this race with some great analysis at the In Box.

Brian interviewed me for a "All Things Considered" piece, but honestly, I should have been asking the questions. I'm in awe of his depth of knowledge as well as his ability to put this race in a national context.

Scott Atkinson, the news director at WWNY-TV 7, has treated his audience to a roundup of the day's political machinations that is becoming can't miss stuff for those of us who can't get enough. It's thorough without being overwhelming, insightful, candid and occasionally humorous. Here's today's entry.

Even from afar, the NYO's Jimmy Vielkind and NYDN's Liz Benjamin are constantly keeping me on my toes by scooping me repeatedly on NY-23 stuff.

There's so many more groups doing great work - News10Now, WWTI, the Albany T-U's CapCon blog, to name a few - that also deserve my praise (and your clicks). But now it's time to stop all the back-patting. We've got a race to report.