FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 July 2, 2007

 CONTACT: Ann Black, AARP, 515-697-1003 or Jennifer Konfrst, IPTV, 515-242-3146

                                                               PBS’ Judy Woodruff to Moderate the Domestic Issues-Focused Events

Des Moines, Iowa – AARP and statewide Iowa Public Television (IPTV) today announced two Presidential Candidate forums focused on the issues of health care and financial security on Sept. 20 in Davenport and Oct. 25 in Sioux City.

The forums will be broadcast live on statewide IPTV from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. (CT) both nights, and will be aired on PBS stations across the country, including Vegas PBS and New Hampshire Public Television (NHPTV).  PBS correspondent and anchor Judy Woodruff will moderate the 90-minute discussions.

The Adler Theater in Davenport will be the site for the Sept. 20 forum with the Democratic candidates and the Orpheum Theater in Sioux City will be the site for the Oct. 25 Republican candidate forum.

As part of the national Divided We Fail effort, AARP is working with Iowa-based businesses, labor groups and consumer organizations to raise awareness with the public, the media, presidential candidates and elected officials on health care and financial security issues.

“We are pleased to team up with Iowa Public Television to bring 2008 Presidential candidates’ focus on the critical domestic issues of health care and financial security for current and future generations,” said AARP Iowa Divided We Fail Campaign Manager Bruce Koeppl.

"At Iowa Public Television, we're proud to continue our long tradition of educating and informing Iowans in all parts of our state with information that is relevant, timely, and of the highest quality,” said Daniel K. Miller, Executive Director and General Manager of Iowa Public Television.   “We are confident these Presidential forums in Davenport and Sioux City will help Iowans become more informed in the months leading up to the Iowa Caucuses.  We're especially proud that the Newshour's Judy Woodruff will be joining the coverage and that we'll be distributing it nationwide,”  Miller said.

As senior Correspondent and Editor of 2008 Political Coverage for PBS’ “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer,” Judy Woodruff brings decades of ground-breaking reporting experience to audiences, sharing seasoned insights and experiences. Prior to joining PBS, Woodruff served as anchor of CNN’s weekday political program, “Inside Politics,” and as NBC News White House correspondent from 1977 to 1982.

Both the Democratic and Republican forums will be free and open to all, however, tickets will be required for attendance.  More information on tickets will be available starting Aug. 1 at www.aarp.org/ia and at www.iptv.org  All Iowans are invited to get involved with the forums by emailing questions for consideration by Sept. 1.  Questions should be sent to mfetterhoff@aarp.org.

Divided We Fail is currently conducting approximately 100 Town Hall Conversations across Iowa and in the other early primary and caucus states on the issues of health care and financial security. Findings from the town hall conversations will be shared with the 2008 Presidential candidates in advance of the Sept. 20 and Oct. 25 forums.
 
The growing list of Iowa Divided We Fail team members includes: AARP, former Governor Terry Branstad, Communications Workers of America, DeWaay Capital Management, Des Moines University, Easter Seals, Iowa Association of Homes & Services for the Aging, Iowa Caregivers Association, Iowa Credit Union League, Iowa Health Care Association, Long-Term Care Guild of Des Moines, Qwest Communications, SEIU Iowa, and Wells’ Dairy Inc.  For more information, go to www.dividedwefail.org

About AARP

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50 + educators; and our website, www.aarp.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

About IPTV

Iowa Public Television is Iowa's statewide public broadcasting network. IPTV provides quality, noncommercial programming to make a difference in the lives of Iowans. As one of the last locally controlled media enterprises in the state, IPTV is committed to telling Iowa's stories like no one else can. Our mission to educate, inform, enrich, and inspire Iowans enables IPTV to present an unequaled array of programs of lasting value to Iowans regardless of where they live or what they can afford. More than one million viewers a week turn to IPTV for programming that reflects a range of interests for Iowans in all demographic categories. Iowa Public Television stations include: Channel 11, Des Moines; Channel 12, Iowa City; Channel 21, Fort Dodge; Channel 24, Mason City; Channel 27, Sioux City; Channel 32, Waterloo; Channel 32, Council Bluffs; Channel 36, Davenport; Channel 36, Red Oak. IPTV-Digital stations include: Channel 11.1, Des Moines; Channel 12.1, Iowa City; Channel 21.1, Fort Dodge; Channel 24.1, Mason City; Channel 27.1, Sioux City; Channel 32.1, Waterloo; Channel 32.1, Council Bluffs; Channel 36.1, Red Oak; Channel 36.1, Davenport (coming soon).