The ONE T-shirt had been a common sight on the campaign trail throughout 2011. As the excitement moved on from Iowa to New Hampshire, the candidates kicked it up a notch in the Granite State. Most of the presidential hopefuls were hosting multiple events across the state every day leading up to the primary. ONE members were right there with them every step of the way!

While the days started early and the nights ran long, ONE members only had to think about why we do what we do to find the energy to continue. Knowing that one of the candidates visiting historic theaters or high school gymnasiums could become the next president of the United States meant that we wanted to ensure support for solutions that save millions of lives, create a safe and more stable world and uphold a proud American legacy, all for less than 1 percent of the federal budget.

While the New Hampshire Primary may now be behind us, there is still work to do. We will continue to fight extreme poverty and preventable diseases with elected officials, community groups, students, faith groups and others, working together as ONE!

Be sure to connect with other ONE members in New Hampshire on Facebook and Twitter.

This teamwork was clearly on display at President Barack Obama’s visit to Central High, New Hampshire last Tuesday, which I attended with ONE Field Organizer Tom Leary. Late last week, the White House announced that the president would return to Central High to make good on a promise he made four years ago during the 2008 presidential race.

From outside, there was no sign of the already frenetic activity of the gymnasium. Jostling among the rest of the crowd, I made my way to the rope line next to Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s seat. We still had two hours before the president was scheduled to arrive, so I talked to my senator about ONE’s issues and what she could do to take action against extreme poverty.

President Obama gave an impassioned yet personable speech that was well received by the crowd. Upon conclusion, he exited the stage and headed toward Senator Shaheen to greet her. When the president turned to me, I took my opportunity, and asked him: “On December 1, World AIDS Day, will you make a commitment to end mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015?” His response was all I could ask for, when he replied, “I can say this, you will be very pleasantly surprised.” Pointing to my ONE shirt, he said “You will be pleasantly surprised.”

Together as a team, ONE New Hampshire had the opportunity to talk to speak up for those much less fortunate than ourselves. And when we did, we received a positive and encouraging response from the most powerful man in the world. None of this would have been possible without my teammate Tom Leary’s hard work and ONE’s dedicated advocacy to back me up. When you’re on a good team like this one, change is within our reach and defeating poverty around the world is possible.

-Mike Castaldo, ONE Vote Organizer

Mike and his son Nick with former President Bill Clinton

As a ONE organizer out on the political trail, it can feel like that after awhile –- especially after having rubbed shoulders with the likes of Vice President Joe Biden, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and others.

It can certainly make for interesting conversation at the dinner table with my family. When my 16-year-old son Nick asks me, “What did you do today, Dad?” I try to answer honestly -– and try not to be a humblebrag about my work.

So, last weekend, for example, I said, “Well son, today I went to the statehouse and was on hand with a couple of governors as they filed their candidacy for president of the USA with our secretary of state. Then I was invited to lunch with one of them and we chatted about when we first met, and the world’s poorest people.”

My son said, “Average day in the life of a ONE member, huh? How did you get invited to have lunch with a governor?”

“Before filing his paperwork, one of the governor’s senior staff members confided in me that he had read my blog post about Vice President Biden and he wanted to be that mystery staffer providing access to ONE in four years’ time when his boss came back as President of the United States,” I said. “So throughout the day, because I was representing ONE, he put me in the right place so I could have the best access to his candidate.”

“Is the one you had lunch with going to win?” my son asked.

“Hard to say, you never know how things will end up,” I said.

“What do you mean by that?” my boy said.

“Well son, if we did not treat every candidate with the same dignity the world’s poorest desire, just wearing a ONE T-shirt would not be as powerful as it is,” I said. “When a campaign sees ONE coming they know that we are there to help the world’s poorest and promote the greatness of America.”

It’s hard not to humblebrag when you work for ONE, but I think this was a very nice humblebrag indeed.

-Mike Castaldo, ONE Vote Organizer, New Hampshire

There are very few people who ever see the vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) in person. Even fewer get to shake his hand. And rarer still are those who have had the privilege of getting a big bear hug from him. But that’s what happened to me on Monday.

My day at New Hampshire’s State house started before 11 a.m. After two hours of waiting for former Senator Rick Santorum to file his paperwork with our Secretary of State and getting a picture with him; the first of VPOTUS’ advance people were on the scene.

Luckily for me, the White House advance person who was in charge of VPOTUS was a staff worker for then-Senator Biden, and was present at a really great meeting I had with him in 2007 at the headquarters of the “Portsmouth Herald.” He made sure my fellow ONE N.H. Field Organizer Tom and I were allowed inside the rope line and in a great position to intercept our vice president.

All it took from that point on was just standing in our place and chatting with some of my Secret Service friends who remembered me from the ’08 campaign.

After three hours of waiting, he was suddenly there “working” the marble-lined hall moving towards me. As always, I made sure America’s Best could see my hands, and prepared myself to say hello. I was not prepared for the bear hug that followed. I tried to hug back in an appropriate manner without causing panic with the USSS. But my friend Joe was very proud to tell me how his son was now “working for us.” We exchanged “how are your families” and “say hello to your wife pleases” and then he filed the paperwork with Bill Gardner that would ensure both he and President Obama would be on New Hampshire’s primary ballot to decide who would run for the President of the United States.

Never underestimate the power of ONE voice. Sometimes it will be years before you realize the impact of your words and actions; then all of a sudden you say to yourself “Hey the Vice President heard me when, as ONE, I asked him to help make extreme poverty and preventable disease history.” Because he’ll remember — pretty “famineing” cool!

-Mike Castaldo, ONE Vote field organizer

New Hampshire Rotary members with Governor Lynch as he signs World Polio Day Proclamation

Yesterday, Rotary club presidents and ONE members from around the New Hampshire visited with Governor John Lynch as he signed a proclamation to recognize the day as World Polio Day and those who have worked so hard to eradicate the disease.

New Hampshire ONE members Michael and Tom with Governor Lynch at World Polio Day Proclamation event

As ONE members, my colleague Michael and I were able to hear stories of Rotarians who had visited other countries to deliver polio vaccines. Michael and I told the Rotary District governor and many of the club presidents that we have heard similar stories as we visited Rotary clubs around the state sharing information about ONE. We also told the Rotarians about the ongoing advocacy efforts of ONE members to ensure that the US continues to provide global leadership and effective programs in the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease. In fact, Michael and I had just attended an event where former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Mass.) was filing his paperwork to appear on New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary ballot.

Interestingly, Governor Lynch also told us that two of his kids had participated in efforts to deliver vaccines to children in some of the poorest countries in the world.

After the governor signed the proclamation, Michael and I had an opportunity to share more information about the ONE collaboration with Rotary and thank the governor for this event. We also spoke to him about American Academy of Pediatrics, another ONE partner. Dr. Susan Lynch, the first lady of New Hampshire, is a pediatrician and we are thrilled to be associated with organizations like theirs.

Be sure to connect with other ONE members in New Hampshire on Facebook and Twitter.

-ONE Vote Organizer Tom Leary

The most recent GOP debate took place at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. ONE was invited to join in the pre-debate activities and to the main event, #EconDebate.

Here are my inner thoughts from the debate…

Pre-debate:

Politteratti? What do you call a room crowded with New Hampshire’s most well-known political movers and shakers? They were there: former United States senators, many of New Hampshire’s state senators, and a small army of consultants tested the room’s capacity. Just outside the room was the main lobby of the hotel where WBIN (the local station that teamed up with Bloomberg News and the Washington Post to host the debate and reception) were interviewing many of the VIP’s in attendance. The only reason I made it into the room was because of the high regard in which ONE members are held.

Once inside, I immediately felt at ease. “ONE is always welcome” a veteran of the campaign trail remarked. “What a great organization you represent” said another. It seemed for a time that the event was being hosted just for us.

With a great view of “The Green,” where hundreds of activists had assembled, the mood inside the room was upbeat but serious. The people of the Granite State take their politics seriously, and as nice a time as we were having we all knew the excitement was only beginning.

In the interest of bipartisanship, the DNC was invited to set up a table in the lobby just a few yards from where the GOP group was mingling. They were enthusiastic and respectful and of course supported ONE’s efforts to make extreme poverty history as a campaign upon which we can all agree.

Show time

With a noticeable chill in the autumn air, the candidates with their supporters, the press with their cameras and notepads and the people of New Hampshire with their thoughtful questions made their way towards the venue. The sun set, the doors opened and those of us lucky enough to have a ticket took our seats.

During the debate

The debate was vigorous and was only interrupted by breaks of 3, 5 and 3 minutes, not one second longer. It was during one of those breaks when I made a dash down to the stage looking for my ONE colleague in the onstage audience. I did not find her in the scrum, but Governors Perry, Huntsman and Romney all stopped what they were doing and made a point of saying hello to ONE. Yes that’s right, during a brief break in a nationally televised debate, ONE was welcome to mingle with the closest consultants and family members and possibly the next President of the United States. I am sure the other candidates wanted to say hello, but could not get close enough in the three minutes we had!

I felt very privileged to have attended such an important event and know in my heart that it was not me that was being welcomed; I was merely representing every ONE member and the world’s poorest billion. As we fight together to end preventable disease, it is good to know that ONE is such a well-regarded group. Being with ONE can open the actual doors to the halls of power and sometimes gets you an invitation to go places you never thought you would go.

-Michael Castaldo, ONE Vote organizer

The Republican candidates for president shared the first-in-the-nation spotlight with Democratic leadership last week.

The majority of the 2012 New Hampshire primary activity has been on the Republican side, with a number of candidates working hard to earn the support of as many voters as possible. Recently, the Democrats had a few opportunities to share their vision for the future of our country directly with the people of New Hampshire.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was the keynote speaker at the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s midterm convention. Not only does she represent Florida’s 20th Congressional District, she is also the Democratic National Committee chair. She has been very receptive to ONE members in her district and supportive of the student group at Pembroke Pines Charter school in South Florida. She has spoken of the importance of maternal and child health issues and reiterated the need to continue the fight against global poverty.

Additionally, Senior Campaign Strategist for President Obama’s reelection effort David Axelrod paid a visit to the Politics and Eggs series at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics on campus at St. Anselm College. After his presentation, he was happy to receive both a ONE band and thanks for the support the administration has show in the fight against extreme poverty and preventable diseases. David Axelrod has been willing to meet with ONE members at events like this and we appreciate it.

Last week was a great reminder of how ONE appeals to Republicans, Democrats, Independents, students, parents, people of all faiths and all walks of life.

All of the candidates will be seeing ONE members around New Hampshire. We will continue to find out where they stand on the issues related to extreme poverty.

Be sure to connect with other ONE members in New Hampshire on Facebook and Twitter.

-Thomas Leary, ONE Vote organizer

As a father I could not be more proud of my wife and sons as they have supported ONE for the last six years. Recently we had the chance to relive a moment from ONE Vote ’08, posing in front of Harvey’s Bakery in downtown Dover, New Hampshire.

Four years ago, we met with Governor Mitt Romney:

And this week with Governor Rick Perry:

Notice any changes? Besides the fact that I have less hair now? Yes, my sons have grown in many ways! More than a foot taller in Sam’s case! While they were growing on the outside they were also growing up learning that their voices can make a difference in the lives of the world’s poorest.

It is a parent’s dream to watch their children mature into thoughtful and caring adults. It is my pleasure to see my sons are well on their way to contributing to the movement to end preventable disease and extreme poverty, ensuring that the next generation in Africa knows their parents.

Please “like” ONE Campaign New Hampshire on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to see who we meet next!

-Mike Castaldo (a.k.a. ONE’s Marine), Dover, New Hampshire

Hat tip to the ’79 Pittsburgh Pirates for popularizing “We are Family”

ONE members Katie and Trey catch up with Rudy Giuliani on the campaign trail in New Hampshire.

The campaign trail is starting to heat up in the Granite State. While the candidates are vying for votes, ONE members are engaging them and supporting American efforts in the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has made a number of appearances around the state. In July, he visited with voters in Wolfeboro. He indicated he had read that eradicating malaria would be No. 1 on the list of how we could best utilize our resources to save human lives. He went on to say that America is accountable to economic and political freedom around the world. This combination has, and will continue to, put millions in position to lift themselves out of poverty. Governor Romney also participated in a traditional town hall meeting in Derry. He said that promoting good governance and fair trade has a strong positive impact on the American economy.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was greeted by ONE members after an appearance in New Hampshire on July 15th. While he has not officially entered the race for the Republican nomination, Mayor Giuliani is aware of how important global poverty issues are to ONE members around the state. Mayor Giuliani has said ONE is a great organization and we should continue supporting smart, effective programs that have enjoyed the backing of administrations on both sides of the aisle.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum hosted a meet-and-greet event at his Manchester campaign headquarters this summer, too. Senator Santorum said that he has been seeing ONE members on the trail, and thanked us for what we do. Senator Santorum spoke briefly and mentioned the importance of working in a bipartisan way towards solutions, just as he had done with Senator Durbin to help provide life-saving assistance to people infected with HIV/AIDS in the poorest areas of the world.

Dartmouth College was the site for former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman’s “Leading Voices In Politics And Policy” lecture this July. ONE members were able to speak with Governor Huntsman on his way into the event and give him a ONE band (which he put on immediately)! Governor Huntsman talked about the importance of trade as the sustainable solution for people to be able to lift themselves out of poverty.

All of the candidates will be seeing ONE members around New Hampshire. We will continue to find out where they stand on the issues related to extreme poverty.

Be sure to connect with other ONE members in New Hampshire on Facebook and Twitter.

-Tom Leary, ONE organizer

On Thursday afternoon, I was enjoying a lobster roll with a friend at Brown’s Lobster Pool in Seabrook, New Hampshire when my phone alerted me that Governor Sarah Palin was at a private residence around the corner attending a clam bake.

We drove over to the residence, where I was able to chat with her briefly before she entered the house party. We talked a little about her last trip to New Hampshire during the 2008 election cycle and then she asked what I was working on these days. I told her all about the ONE Campaign and how we work to save millions of lives in places like Africa. She was familiar with ONE and our causes, she told me that Franklin Graham (a mutual friend with Bono) had told her all about the work we’re doing. They even went on a humanitarian trip to Haiti to look at the devastation from the earthquake last year.

It was great to get the world’s poorest and most desperate people back on Governor Palin’s radar screen. You could tell she had a great appreciation for the job we’re doing and the severity of the situation in developing countries. She told us to keep up the great work!