Today is a special day in New Hampshire. Not only is it debate day for the 2008 GOP presidential candidates, but it is also ONE’s Marine, Michael Castaldo’s birthday! So he will be trading his ONE shirt for a suit tonight and will be attending the GOP Debate as a special guest of the ONE Campaign.

Michael – your service to our country, our world, and to ONE is inspiring and empowering. You are a tireless campaigner for the world’s poorest people, and have helped lead the way for ONE Vote ‘08 in the Granite State.

You are a hero, and on your birthday we say thank you and wish you many more!

-Matthew Bartlett, ONE Regional Organizer

ONE’s Marine Michael Castaldo got a hot tip that Mayor Rudy Giuliani was going to make an appearance at Chowerfest in New Castle, NH and sent me this amazing email:

“Well it was a hot one and for a chowder fest and that does not bode well. Since I was early, I put myself to use and helped set out the cold drinks and get the tables ready for the chowder. When it was time to serve the chowder I was the one ladling it out of the massive pots into the chaffing dishes for service by the proud chefs.

In between I went around saying hello to the many guests that had assembled, and making sure the host’s family, and the Rudy staffers were banded. I found myself as usual at these events bumping into a few other former marines and as is also usual, we ended up congregated in a corner, and this time we talked about the ONE Campaign. Each marine in turn told his version of why extreme poverty and its eradication was the key to national security. Each of them would gladly re-up and serve alongside the other – you could see it in their eyes…

Moments later the wives, standing along side each other, shook their heads in agreement and almost in unison said “that’s what you are always saying honey”. Then one former marine said “Africa is the key” – I swear it was not me. He had never heard of the ONE campaign before.

As for the mayor – I was able to thank him for the comments he made during his speech on international affairs recently. I told him “I think you have taken a page out of the ONE Campaign’s play book” – he smiled broadly and said “The ONE Campaign has it right”. He then was kind enough to pose for a picture accepting a ONE band…”

The fight against global disease and global extreme poverty is not an easy job – but with the help of ONE’s Marine Michael, and all 2.4 million ONE members, we can save millions of lives around the world by lending our talents and voice to ONE Vote ‘08. This is our chance to make poverty history.

-Matthew Bartlett, ONE Regional Organizer