Press Release from ONE Vote '08
 
For immediate release:  
Tuesday, November 6, 2007  
Contact:  Kimberly Cadena
 Alex Howe          

Presidential Candidates Challenged: Go “On the Record” With Plans to Combat Global Poverty and Disease

Video and Web Initiative Targets Candidates for Concrete Proposals

** Early Primary State Ads Set to Launch Next Week **

WASHINGTON, D.C…. The ONE Campaign is challenging presidential candidates to go “On the Record” with their plans to fight extreme poverty and global disease.  The month-long initiative, launched today, is the first time that candidates from both major parties will be pressed to lay out the specifics of their proposals.

“Just saying that a presidential candidate is against extreme poverty is not good enough.  ONE’s millions of members want to hear specifics from each candidate.  What will they do to fight the kind of brutal poverty that claims the lives of 27,000 children each day?  What will they do to erase malaria from our planet?  What will they do to stop other preventable diseases like tuberculosis and HIV?  These are the questions that ONE members want answered in the ‘On the Record’ challenge,” ONE spokesperson Kimberly Cadena explained.

ONE’s members will challenge the candidates to produce video statements and provide answers to specific policy questions.  At the end of November, ONE will roll out the results on ONE.org, allowing ONE members and all voters to compare the candidates and their policies on fighting extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other issues.

ONE, through its ONE Vote ’08 initiative launched earlier this summer, has been working with Republican and Democratic candidates to develop policy priorities on the fight against extreme poverty and global disease.  In addition, tens of thousands of volunteers have been on the ground in the early primary states talking directly with the candidates and their campaign teams about the importance of these issues to ONE’s 2.4 million members.  ONE Vote is not endorsing any candidate, but is encouraging all presidential candidates to address these critical issues.

“On the Record” print advertisements will run in the primary states to encourage the candidates to participate and offer comprehensive, tangible strategies to take on extreme poverty.

“After months of bird-dogging, banding and meeting with the presidential candidates, ONE members are now challenging the candidates to step up and give specifics on what they will do to tackle global poverty, improve our national security and create a more stable, hopeful world,” Cadena explained.  ”ONE members in early primary states and across the country have proven their commitment to ending global poverty, and 2.4 million of us will continue to insist the candidates address these critical and moral issues throughout the election.”

ONE Vote ’08 will host a petition for people to make a personal challenge to all major presidential candidates at ONE.org/ontherecord. Later this month, that same site will be home to the candidate videos and questionnaire answers.  Each candidate will have a dedicated page featuring their videos and their policy platforms.

ONE Vote ’08: Saving Lives, Securing Our Future does not endorse or oppose any candidate, but urges all presidential candidates to take a stand on these critical issues and present their plans to solve problems associated with global disease and extreme poverty. The non-partisan effort brings together a broad range of talent.  Co-chaired by former U.S. Senate Majority Leaders Bill Frist of Tennessee and Tom Daschle of South Dakota, ONE Vote’s advisory team includes former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey, political strategists Jack Oliver, Steve Jarding and Dina Powell, former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, presidential advisors Donna Brazile, Tucker Eskew and Mike McCurry, pollsters Geoff Garin and John McLaughlin, and leaders from the faith community, national security experts and many others.

ONE is an effort by Americans to rally Americans -- ONE by ONE -- to fight the emergency of extreme poverty and preventable global disease. ONE is a coalition of more than 2.4 million people and more than 150 of the nation's leading relief, humanitarian and advocacy organizations.  For more information, visit ONE.org.

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