It is called “Double Duty” and that is exactly what ONE’s Marine, Michael Castaldo, did on Saturday by crossing town and crossing party lines to advocate for the world’s poorest people to President Bill Clinton.
It can be hard to reach a candidate or politician here in New Hampshire as the crowds grow bigger as we near the primary. President Clinton undoubtedly had many ONE members in his crowd, but Michael sent me this ONE report:
This time it was a familiar news crew who gave me a tip off led to my interaction with President Clinton. They told me that the “still pen” was right by where President Clinton would be coming in, and they encouraged me to take my camera up there and act like I belonged. The secret service agent that was positioned there did not seem to mind, so I hung around right at the rail where he was due to arrive.
When he entered he paused for a minute to size up the crowd and looked around. He saw me in my ONE shirt up front he made a circle on his own chest and gave me the thumbs up!
After his speech, he made sure to reach out to me and accept a ONE band and shake my hand. I thanked him for his work in reducing the cost of ARVs, and he thanked me for supporting ONE.
Sen. McCain held a town hall meeting in Merrimack on Saturday while campaigning for president. I went with some ONE members to make sure that the world’s poorest people were represented, and as soon as I got in the door, I noticed ONE member Carly Kinney in her ONE shirt in one of the front rows!
The senator introduced Nashua Mayor Bernie Streeter, who is a NH ONE Ambassador and gave a short stump speech. He then took questions from the crowd, but stopped everything and pointed out Carly to the crowd. He asked that she stand and tell everyone about ONE. I quickly pulled out my camera and caught it on film.
After the town hall, many people came up to me, and to Carly, to say that they see the ONE ad on TV all the time. Many people were already wearing ONE bands too! I had a chance to talk briefly with Gov. Pawlenty and he was still talking about meeting ONE member Michael earlier in the day.
Just before he got on his bus, I was able to thank Sen. McCain for always taking time to make sure that the poorest people on earth had a voice in his town hall meetings. He told me that Carly did a much better job than I do, and that she is much prettier!
Sen. McCain is campaigning in New Hampshire right now and held a full day of town hall meetings all over the Granite State.
ONE’s Marine, Michael Castaldo caught up with him in Dover Saturday morning and send in this ONE report!
When the senator arrived with special guest, Gov. Pawlenty of Minn, there were at least 400 people there and I must have talked to half of them about the ONE Campaign. Sen. McCain gave his stump speech peppered with well timed jokes, and serious and poignant reflections on what makes America great and what can make it greater. Improve America’s reputation. Improve global health.
After the meeting broke, it was a chance for everyone to meet him. But I had my sights set on Gov. Pawlenty. After waiting , and waiting - it was a big enthusiastic crowd - for the crowd to thin…I had my reward. Not only did I get to introduce myself and ONE, but the Gov. told me about the conversation he had on “the straight talk express” prior to arriving in Dover.
Gov. Pawlenty asked Sen. McCain what to expect from the crowd. Sen. McCain replied: “It’s a good bunch - but there is a special lot, there are these activists, but they are not the in your face kind, they do not jump up and down and scream, they are very polite and respectful, they behave with dignity and decorum - like they want to represent the bottom billion people they say they do, in a favorable light. It is a group called the ONE Campaign and you will see them at almost every stop”.
Gov. Pawlenty told me that he was taken aback because although he was aware of the ONE Campaign, he was not ready to hear such a strong endorsement from Sen. McCain on the bus when no one else was listening.
Sen. McCain was all over New Hampshire and I know that he saw and heard from many more ONE members out on the campaign trail to make sure our nation is doing all we can to save lives and end extreme poverty in the most desperate places on Earth.
Gov. Mitt Romney was campaigning here in the Granite State right after Christmas. ONE’s Marine, Michael Castaldo and I caught up with him at Robie’s General Store in Hooksett, to make sure that he remembers the poorest of the poor.
When Gov. Romney walked into the crowed store, he immediately recognized us with our shirts and pins, and told us that “it is good to see ONE again”, in front of the crowd! Michael quietly snuck outside by his waiting car and asked if he could get a few moments of video with the Governor. Check it out:
As we near Primary Day - Jan. 8th - here in New Hampshire, ONE is hot on the campaign trail to make sure that the next president of the United States knows that fighting global disease and saving lives in Africa is not only possible in today’s world…it is a priority.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:29 am | posted by Virginia Simmons
New England Patriots’ star Tom Brady sports a ONE shirt again for reporters. (Coverage today in my hometown New Hamshire paper The Foster’s Daily Democrat.)
A note and video for Iowans from Jason Walsmith, Mike Butterworth of the Iowa-based, ONE supporting band the Nadas:
We’ve always been big supporters of the ONE Campaign. When we were given the opportunity to work closely with the campaigns newest initiative, ONE Vote 08, we were really excited to get involved. Since this summer, we’ve participated in many events with ONE including the launch of the campaign here in Iowa and the RAGBRAI concert with Blue’s Traveler in Cedar Falls. We have also showed our support by wearing ONE t-shirts, and letting people sign up to become members at our concerts.
If you haven’t already, now is a great time to get involved with ONE! As January 3rd rapidly approaches it is critical that we all get out and make our voices heard during the Iowa caucuses. Its fun, it’s easy, and as first in the nation it’s an experience unique to Iowa. It doesn’t matter who you’re supporting or what party you are affiliated with, what matters is that you can made a difference.
While you’re caucusing, why not support a great cause like ONE at the same time? Wear a ONE T-shirt, give bands and stickers to your friends and submit a plank to your party’s platform. It’s super easy and you can sign up online at:
After you’ve signed up, ONE will send you a free T-shirt, bands, stickers and a packet of information about caucusing for ONE. You can make a difference in Iowa and around the world, start by caucusing for ONE.
Sen. McCain held a town hall meeting in Pelham, NH Wednesday night and ONE Vote ‘08 was there to make sure that the poorest people in the world were represented.
I walked in and was immediately recognized by Nashua, NH, Aldermen Mark Cookson and David McLaughlin who told me how they have seen the ONE ad on TV. Alderman McLaughlin made sure to pull up his sleeve and show me his ONE band.
ONE member and McCain volunteer Shaun Doherty, who always wears his ONE band, sat in the front row and there were plenty other ONE members in the audience.
After months of “banding” and talking with Sen. McCain about global disease and extreme poverty, he now always makes sure to recognize ONE in the crowd and have a ONE member talk about our grassroots movement. From shanty towns in Africa, to the town halls in New Hampshire, he makes sure to include a voice for the poorest people in the world.
Check out ONE member Andrea talking about ONE and Sen. McCain’s “On the Record” pledge to end deaths from malaria:
After another question from a NH voter, Sen. McCain talked about PEPFAR and America’s efforts to fight global AIDS and even went on to talk about the Millennium Challenge Corporation that provides additional aid for countries that are fighting corruption and showing accountability.
ONE by ONE, and town hall by town hall, we are making sure that the next president of the United States knows that more than 2.4 million members of the ONE Campaign want our nation to do all that we can to save lives and make poverty history!
Last night Sen. Obama campaigned in a very snowy Rochester, New Hampshire, but that did not stop ONE Vote ‘08 from making it out to his event to ensure that the poorest people on earth were heard in the Granite State.
ONE’s Marine, Michael Castaldo shot some great footage of Sen. Obama’s stump speech where he talks about US efforts to fight global AIDS and malaria and help desperately poor countries around the world.
From Africa to New Hampshire, and from Sammi in Seattle, to Debbie in Texas, and beyond…more than 2.4 million people are coming together as ONE to make sure our leaders hear our voices as ONE to save lives and end extreme poverty!
Monday night Gov. Romney held a town hall meeting in Manchester and I attended with some ONE members to lend our voices for the poorest people on earth.
The last question of the night was posed from a NH student who asked what Gov. Romney would do to restore America’s image in the world. Gov. Romney spoke about a few different issues, and then he went into length about US efforts to fight AIDS and poverty in Africa, and other basic healthcare and education in desperate places.
Gov. Romney told the audience that he would place US regional coordinators all around the world, with what he said was a “sizeable budget” to help with things like health clinics. This is when we caught the final footage of his speech:
Afterward, I was able to thank Gov. Romney for going “On the Record” and for sharing his plans to fight extreme poverty.
New Hampshire was still digging out from a weekend snow blast, but that did not stop Rudy Giuliani from campaigning this week…nor did it stop Michael Castaldo, ONE’s Marine, from making it out on the campaign trail for the poorest people on Earth.
Mayor Giuliani had only one scheduled campaign event on Monday - and it was at a NH business and closed to the public. But Michael figured that the mayor may make some “unannounced” stops while he was in the Dover area.
He send me this:
I called a friend that was “in the know” about Rudy and he told me the Mayor was going to do an editorial board meeting at Foster’s Daily Democrat in Dover, but that right now, he was on his way to the “Christmas Dove” in Barrington… 5 miles from my house! So a quick shower and shave, and I was on the move! The owners of the shop are ONE members and were sad they did not have their ONE shirts on! But they were glad to get another band as was their two year old daughter.
When the Mayor arrived, he shook my hand, and I was able to ask him if he would agree to make a video to go “On the Record”. He told me he would be glad to, and that he would get in touch with HQ on the subject. Later after choosing a Santa clause character for his house, he posed for a photo with me.
The snow is here in NH but that doesn’t stop ONE Vote ‘08 and the voices of 2.4 million ONE members that are making sure the next president of the United States is a leader in the fight against global disease, and extreme - stupid - poverty. Way to Michael!
The ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, volunteers, members and coalition partners.
The content of each post and each comment represent the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the ONE Campaign or ONE Action. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any posts expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
