Iraq Campaign 2008: Groups Launch Nationwide Multimillion Dollar Iraq/Recession Campaign
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2008
4:15 PM
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CONTACT: Iraq Campaign 2008
Moira Mack (202) 261-2383
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WASHINGTON, DC - February 25 - Today anti Iraq war leaders, joined by former Senator John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth, announced the launch of a new nationwide, multimillion dollar campaign aimed at shining a light on the cost of war in Iraq. The $20 million campaign will include paid advertisements, lobbying Congress not to pass blank check funding bills, urging Congressional action to bar President Bush from making a long term commitment to Iraq that could tie the hands of the next president, and campaigning in key Senate states and House districts.
The Iraq/Recession campaign is a joint venture of MoveOn.org, the Service Employees International Union, VoteVets.org, USAction, the Center for American Progress and Americans United For Change.
The campaign kicked off today with the release of a new VoteVets.org TV ad critical of Senator John McCain. The ad, which can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsMumUEPMCY,
features Iraq veteran Rose Forrest discussing Senator McCain’s proposed 100 year commitment to Iraq and the cost here at home.
A majority of Americans already believe that the best way to get the country out of recession is to get the country out of Iraq, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll published earlier this month. [Associated Press, 2/08/08]
Underscoring the challenges faced by any candidates who choose to follow President Bush’s failed policies, a new swing voter poll released this month by coalition partner USAction found that the group is more receptive than ever to an agenda of ending the war and instead investing in America’s future. SEE RESULTS HERE.
Quotes from today’s call:
Former US Senator John Edwards:
“There is great concern, anxiety and angst out there among most Americans about their economic security. They are worried about a lot of things. They are concerned about the cost of a health care system that is broken and needs to be fixed. They are worried about how to pay to send their kids to college. The mortgage and foreclosure crisis is now becoming central to the economic insecurity an awful lot of Americans are feeling. All of these things are made much worse due to the war in Iraq. The American public sees a direct connection between the spending in Iraq and the economic anxiety caused by the price of oil and gasoline. They want to see this war brought to an end.”
Elizabeth Edwards:
“If the economy is your number one issue when you’re voting, the war is, too.”
John Podesta, President and CEO, Center for American Progress:
“It is exceedingly easy to grasp the overall reality that the combination of President Bush’s war policies and his economic policies have left the country with a falling dollar, hundred dollar a barrel oil, rising consumer prices, family debt at an all time high, IOUs to restore the military and honor our Veterans, budget deficits as far as the eye can see and the specter of stagflation not seen since the 1970s. There is no question that President Bush’s war policies combined with his economic policies have had the overall effect of weakening our national security and our economy.”
Jon Soltz, Co-Founder and Chairman, VoteVets.org:
“We will do nothing to disparage Senator McCain’s service but when it comes to Iraq policy, he is no different from President Bush. Now until the election we will continue to hold him accountable for his failed policy and what he is doing to our national security and to the members of our Armed Forces.”
Eli Pariser, Executive Director of MoveOn.org:
“This will be the largest grassroots initiative, aside from the Presidential campaigns, this year. Our goal remains the same as it has been for years, to end the war in Iraq. We are going to seize on the fact that Americans are increasingly connecting the war with the problems here at home.”
As economic concerns weigh heavily on the minds of Americans, opposition to President Bush’s reckless war in Iraq continues to grow. The massive cost of the war in Iraq – hurtling toward one trillion dollars – has increased demand for a strategy to bring U.S. troops home. The Iraq/Recession Campaign will highlight the majority of Americans who want to see leadership on investing in critical priorities at home and establishing real security throughout the world.
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