Booking it with Elizabeth

Last night people gathered at a local bookstore in Columbia to hear Elizabeth Edwards speak. ONE members were in the audience listening to the potential first lady and also talking to other attendees about ONE Vote ‘08.

Our campaign has signed up many Edwards staffers over the last months and tonight another staffer signed up as a member and wore the ONE band.

-Mekell Mikell, SC Co-Field Director

Frying Steak, Supporting ONE

Top Democratic presidential hopefuls courted voters at the Tom Harkin Steak Fry Fundraiser and ONE Vote ‘08 was there. Michele, Sarah, and I were able to band and briefly chat with most of the candidates.

Senator John Edwards was happy to put on a band and pose for a photo. He even said “I love the ONE Campaign.” After fighting our way through a very enthusiastic crowd to get to Senator Hillary Clinton she very graciously posed for a photo before taking and band and thanking us for being there. Senator Joe Biden was very courteous in accepting a band, putting it on immediately, and wearing it the rest of the afternoon. After posing for a photo he told us how much he appreciates the campaign and talked about how he had great experience working with Bono years ago.

Governor Bill Richardson took time to come over to our booth and visit us on this busy day immediately getting a band and putting it on. He spoke of our cause to the crowd before heading to the stage.

The ONE message is getting louder and it is getting through.

-Wes Peterson and Michele Meyer, Iowa ONE Vote ‘08

Edwards Proud of Detailed Plans Against Poverty

John Edwards was in town just briefly on Friday morning and he asked to spend a couple minutes with members of the ONE Campaign at his office headquarters.

After a press conference, Senator Edwards came to take a photo with us and said; “you guys are really doing great work, thank you for all you do, keep it up.”

The Senator went on to express his commitment to fighting AIDS and global poverty, and said that he is proud that “his campaign is taking a lead on these issues and has been discussing them in specific terms.” We are hopeful to get some time to sit down and have a discussion on extreme poverty and global disease with Senator Edwards during his next trip to Nevada.

-Matt Higginson

Edwards: “If you do not know about the ONE Campaign you should”

ONE’s Marine Michael Castaldo - coming off the heels of a great engagement with Rudy at Chowderfest - was able to attended a rally for Sen. Edwards last week and sent me this:

“First the back-story… former Senator Edwards was traveling with his wife Elizabeth today and visited five different towns here in New Hampshire. I was able to catch up with him in Rochester. After helping set up chairs for the expected large crowd I went to work handing out brochures and ONE bands to the assembling supporters and guests. Many of my friends from the press were there as well - cheering on the ONE Campaign as usual. After banding the staff and securing a seat near where the senator would be speaking, I waited. When the Senator arrived it was his wife that led the way. I was able to offer her a ONE band which she put on as she told me what a big supporter John was.

The Senator spoke about the war in Iraq, health care, and global warming and then offered to take questions. The questions were mostly on the same topics covered in his short speech until the last…

For the last question, a young woman from Dover asked Senator Edwards, “What would you do as President to improve America’s global reputation”.

The Senator started by saying he thought ending the war in Iraq was a important first step, but that America needed to lead the way in providing AIDS medication and extreme poverty relief to Africa, Latin America, and Indonesia and that this was the way to secure America’s future and show the world America’s greatness! “The world expects us to lead the way” he said. It was then that Elizabeth got his attention and pointed to me.

I offered him a ONE band which he then held aloft for the crowd and said “If you do not know about the ONE Campaign you should…These people are leading the way to restore Americas image…I am gunna put this band on right now and I urge you all to do the same. Please stand up. (He said pointing to me.)

“These people are at every campaign stop making sure that we candidates know that restoring America’s reputation is vital to our national security. It is not just about that though - ending poverty is the humane thing to do”.

With that he ended his speech.

I thanked Mrs. Edwards repeatedly and was able to get in position for the photo op just before he boarded the bus.

Semper fidelis,

-Michael Castaldo, ONE Marine”

ONE Members Surround Edwards in Manchester

Sen. Edwards held a rally Sunday morning at the steps of the Manchester, NH, City Hall. While the rain held off, ONE members came out to show support for the world’s poorest people.

Before the event, I found Deb in a ONE Vote ‘08 shirt that she received when she attended the YearlyKos event in Chicago earlier this month. We spoke briefly about ONE Vote ‘08 and after the event I talked with her husband Doug about how ONE Vote ‘08 is a bi-partisan movement of Americans that want our country to better focus on the global AIDS pandemic and extreme global poverty, even noting Sen. Frist and Sen. Daschle as our co-chairs.

Like so many events, there were many many ONE members in the audience and everywhere you look you could see ONE bands…even on one prominent NH blogger.

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Edwards Priorities

On Friday August 10th, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards shared his ideas to relieve extreme poverty around the world at the Laborers Union Hall in Las Vegas.

During a question and answer period I thanked Senator Edwards for making poverty a priority in his campaign and asked him about what he would do to stem the violence and suffering in Africa.

Edwards responded with a firm commitment to help aide the developing world and he went on to expound on his goals for long-term poverty relief throughout Africa.

Senator Edwards said that his top foreign aide priorities would be to eradicate deaths from preventable and curable diseases, ensure education for the world’s children, and initiate trade policies that benefit developing nations.

It is great to be involved with my local ONE Las Vegas chapter and it is such a great opportunity to interact with so many presidential candidates. I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to help raise awareness about ONE Vote 08!

-Renee Meyocks, ONE NV volunteer

ONE with Edwards Ova In Dova

On Saturday and Sunday, as Sen. Edwards stumped in New Hampshire and across the state, he ran into ONE Vote ‘08.

In Dover, NH, Genna Barrett and her sons attended the Edwards event in their ONE shirts and ONE bands. You can see her son in a ONE shirt with the senator, even though his eyes are closed, his shirt and ONE band made sure that everyone knows saving lives in Africa is a priority. They noted how Senator Edwards spoke about the need to reach out to African countries and end global hunger and disease.

ONE’s Marine, Michael Castaldo was there too with his sons. But instead of “banding” the candidate, he presented Sen. Edwards with a ONE Vote ‘08 T-shirt that he held up for the crowd asking “Will your candidate make poverty history?”

In New Hampshire, people of all backgrounds and all political persuasions are finding out just how powerful we are when we come together as ONE to make sure the next president of the United States knows that we can and will beat global AIDS and extreme poverty.

-Matthew Bartlett, ONE

Edwards and Oreos

Senator John Edwards headlined the College Democrats of America (CDA) block party on Friday evening. Members of his campaign were sporting the ONE band.

The presidential hopeful spoke to students, many of whom were wearing ONE shirts and bands, about the urgent need to combat AIDS and poverty in Africa. He also discussed the need for clean water and improved sanitation in the continent. The crowd responded enthusiastically to Senator Edwards’ call to action on pressing global issues that are central to the ONE Campaign.

Another man we met at the block party also tackled the issue of world hunger - one oreo cookie at a time.

Aaron Rubin used giant versions of the classic comfort food to demonstrate the size of the U.S. budget and how small the segment actually is that goes to help feed millions of starving people.

Mr. Rubin also came over to the ONE table and added his name to our declaration.

-Mekell Mikell

Don’t Forget your Band, Mr. Edwards!

Since ONE launched ONE Vote ‘08 last month I have been keeping an eye out for presidential candidates from both parties to make a campaign stop in Pittsburgh. I wanted to let them know that as an American I want our next president to be a leader in the fight against extreme poverty and global AIDS. I got my first opportunity on Tuesday, July 17, when Senator John Edwards gave a speech at a local non-profit organization, Hill House. So I grabbed my friend Bethany, and we put on our ONE T-shirts and headed out to go use our voices for the world’s poorest people!

I was glad we wore the ONE shirt because when we arrived at the event many people in the crowd came up to tell us that they were members of ONE. Others had never heard of the campaign, so we told them about how they can get involved right here in Pittsburgh in the fight for the billion people around the world who live on less than a dollar a day.

After Senator Edwards spoke he spent time meeting people in the crowd and Bethany and I took our opportunity to speak with him. When it was our turn I said, “Senator! You’re not wearing your ONE band!” As he took the band and put it on he said he had just forgotten his and would take one of mine to wear now. He then mentioned the role the United States must take in fighting global poverty and AIDS and thanked Bethany and I for our volunteer work for ONE.

All in all, it turned out to be an excellent opportunity to support ONE, and I can not wait till the next candidate comes through town! For me, it is not about a candidate or a political party, it is about showing all the candidates, both Republicans and Democrats, that I am just one of millions of Americans who want to make the fight against extreme poverty and the global disease to be a priority in the 2008 presidential election.

Pic(nic)-ing Up Speed in Iowa with Edwards

Four Iowa ONE Vote organizers tabled at a picnic sponsored by the Linn County Democrats for Senator Edwards this past Saturday. We had a great spot just off the main stage, catching the attention of those who came to see the senator.

During his speech, Edwards talked about many of the issues that are important to the ONE campaign. He talked about the leadership the US needs to provide so that 100 million children will have access to a primary education. He also talked about how much that we take for granted here in America is non-existent in many parts of the world. As an example, he noted that many people still don’t have access to clean drinking water, and by improving access to such a basic necessity, we can prevent the spread of many diseases around the world.

At the conclusion of his remarks, Senator Edwards stopped for a picture with ONE members Michele and Libby. They handed him a ONE band, which he put it on and then thanked the four of us for our work.

Also in attendance at the event was Congressman David Loeabsack, D-IA. Congressman Loebsack is a member of Iowa’s ONE Vote ‘08 advisory board and was happy to see that we had made the trip out that afternoon.

On top of enjoying the fresh watermelon, we signed 45 new members up and made sure that ONE’s message was heard. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.