October, 29 2008, 03:31pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Liz Hourican, CODEPINK coordinator, 202-903-3363
Janet Weil, CODEPINK coordinator, 925-212-7477
Arizona Divorces John McCain!
Citizens cite irreconcilable differences on Iraq war, domestic policy
PHOENIX
Liz Hourican, the Phoenix woman who disrupted Sen. John McCain's speech at the Republican National Convention two months ago and made headlines worldwide, will join other Arizonans here to divorce him from their state!
At 11 a.m. Nov. 1, only three days before the national presidential election, Hourican and others will deliver divorce papers to McCain's Phoenix office and act out a skit of formal divorce proceedings between McCain and Arizona to let the rest of the country know the state does not want to be tied to McCain's failed policies and platform supporting endless war in Iraq. (Lisa Blank, coordinator of CODEPINK Phoenix, will play "Arizona" in the skit). The separation has already begun -- polls show he's in danger of losing to opponent Sen. Barack Obama.
"The majority of Americans and Arizonans said they do not want a permanent occupation of Iraq, " Hourican said. "Communication is important in a marriage and he hasn't listened to us in all this time. As his home state, we find it important to stand up and complete the divorce."
Representatives from a number of groups on various issues from environment to indigenous rights will also speak: Hari Nam Khalsa of Iraq Veterans Against the War, Tim Carpenter of Progressive Democrats for America, Steve Brittle of Don't Waste America and others. The Tucson Raging Grannies will perform satires of McCain's policies before the "divorce."
"The grounds for the divorce are clear," said Mitch Rubin, a Phoenix attorney and a leader in the End The War Coalition, "beginning with McCain's continuing support of George Bush's disastrous foreign policy of war and aggression and a domestic policy that rewards the very rich at the expense of the middle and working class and the poor."
For more information, please call Hourican, CODEPINK DC coordinator, at 202-903-3363 or Janet Weil, CODEPINK coordinator, at 925-212-7477.
CODEPINK is a women-led grassroots organization working to end U.S. wars and militarism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect our tax dollars into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming programs.
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