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NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK 415-235-6517

medea@globalexchange.org

CODEPINK Delivers State of the Union Report Card to White House

On
Tuesday, January 25, the day of President Obama's State of the Union
address, CODEPINK Women for Peace will deliver an oversized report card
to the White House that assesses the President's job performance.

WASHINGTON

On
Tuesday, January 25, the day of President Obama's State of the Union
address, CODEPINK Women for Peace will deliver an oversized report card
to the White House that assesses the President's job performance.

"We
wanted to give Obama good grades, but in all honesty we couldn't," says
CODEPINK cofounder Medea Benjamin. "Since coming to office, he has
escalated the war in Afghanistan, authorized more drone attacks in
Pakistan that have killed more civilians, kept Guantanamo open,
supported Israeli war crimes and raided the homes of peace activists.
And in a time of budget cutting and economic hardship, he has actually
increased military spending. Sorry, but that just doesn't make the
grade."

What: Press Event
Where: In front of the White House
When: 12 noon, Tuesday, January 25th

The group will also deiiver a petition signed by over 150 prominent activists, authors, and academics with a statement that begins:

"We
the undersigned share with nearly two-thirds of our fellow Americans
the conviction that our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq should be ended and
that overall military spending should be dramatically reduced. This
has been our position for years and will continue to be, and we take it
seriously. We vow not to support President Barack Obama for
renomination for another term in office, and to actively seek to impede
his war policies unless and until he reverses them."

Among
the signers are Elliott Adams, president, Veterans For Peace; Medea
Benjamin, cofounder, Code Pink; Daniel Ellsberg, former State and
Defense Dept. official, whistleblower of Pentagon Papers; Chris Hedges,
author, Death of the Liberal Class; Bill Quigley from the Center for
Constitutional Rights; and Rabbi Michael Lerner, Network of Spiritual
Progressives.

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.

(818) 275-7232