Sen. John McCain

On Saturday, Arizona ONE members gathered at the Barton-Burr Library downtown Phoenix to exchange ideas on educating their communities and reaching out to their elected representatives to do something about needless global poverty and preventable diseases.

Attendees addressed hand written letters to both Senator McCain and Senator Kyl asking them to urge Senator Cochran to ensure $56.65 billion is appropriated for the state and foreign operations bill. Immediately thereafter a highly engaged audience began planning two education and recruitment events through July.

Something tells me we can expect to see something a little different from ONE members in Arizona. Congrats on a successful workshop! We are all very excited about things to come.

This past Saturday, ONE was back on the trail in New Hampshire with Sen. McCain, as he campaigned for Kellly Ayotte for Senate. Just like we did in the now historic 2008 NH Primary, ONE came out to endorse international life saving policy – not a party or even a politician.

I made it over the to the town hall with some ONE members, and saw a lot of familiar faces, some, like State Rep. Shaun Doherty, were still wearing their ONE bands!

After the town hall meeting, I spoke with Kelly Ayotte about ONE, and our efforts to save lives of people who struggle to over come extreme poverty on less than a dollar a day. I even offered her a ONE band, which she immediately put on.

I managed to catch Sen. McCain too and spoke with him about Cindy McCain’s recent event with Women ONE2ONE on the hill. Sen. McCain instantly recognized ONE, and I was able to briefly mention to him about how Bill Gates talks about the untapped purchasing power of the developing world and new efforts to save millions of lives through immunization programs like GAVI.

I also told him how the other Gates, Sec. Gates has made a desperate plea for more funds for international development in order to build a more stabile and safer world – something that 50 US Generals echoed the other day.

No matter where you live, your voice can help encourage our elected leaders to take urgent action to fight AIDS, malaria, and hunger around the world.

I just got back from the National Press Club where the Center for Global Development and Foreign Policy Magazine presented ONE with the 6th Annual “Commitment to Development Award.” Senator John McCain, Cindy McCain, Tom Daschle, and others were in attendance to reflect on and celebrate the successes of ONE Vote ’08 this past presidential campaign cycle.

In talking about ONE, Foreign Policy Editor in Chief Moisés Naím noted that “unless one pushes for obvious ideas, they aren’t obvious for many. Now [these issues] are obvious to millions thanks to ONE.”

Mr. Daschle and Mrs. McCain spoke at length about the necessity of bipartisanship in the fight against extreme poverty—a bipartisanship of which they were obvious examples.

But by far the highlight and emphasis of the ceremony were the immeasurable achievements of ONE members and volunteers all across the country—today represented by Danielle DePas, Michael Castaldo, and Matthew McAllister who came to DC to accept the award. All three were invited to sit on a panel discussion with Steve Radelet and ONE’s Liesl Hickey to discuss topics such as grassroots activism, organizing, and how the US can lead in the fight against global poverty and preventable disease.

We’ll have further posts with photos and video from the event for you shortly. You can read more about the award here.

-Chris Scott

To all the ONE volunteers and activists who’ve worked tirelessly around our ONE Vote ’08 efforts this (very) long election season, thank you. Each one of you have made invaluable contributions to our effort to make sure EVERY presidential candidate spoke up about their plans to combat global poverty and disease. By holding our elected officials accountable, we’ve ensured that the issues ONE cares so passionately about will be aggressively and vigorously addressed. The 2008 presidential election may be over, but our work to end global poverty is only beginning.

Below is a video of ONE organizer Matthew Bartlett speaking with John McCain a few days ago at what could be his last town hall meeting in New Hampshire as a presidential candidate. It aired on CNN and Matthew’s impassioned and articulate message is spot on. Congrats Matthew and all of our ONE Vote ’08 activists.

-Chris Scott

As you you know, tomorrow is the 2008 US presidential election. With millions of citizens—and a ton of ONE members amongst them—heading to the polls in a matter of hours, we wanted to remind you that both presidential candidates have gone On The Record for the ONE Campaign, and told us in great detail what they plan to do to fight extreme global poverty.

Take a minute to check out their statements and happy voting!

-Chris Scott

With less than a week before Election Day, ONE volunteer Dan Donmoyer and I joined volunteers across the country in dropping off petitions at various state offices. We stopped by both the Obama and McCain headquarters in Harrisburg, PA to help remind both presidential candidates of the commitments they made to help the world’s poorest people when they went On the Record with the ONE Campaign.

During these times of economic instability in both domestic and global markets, we must not forget about the world’s poorest people who are especially vulnerable during times of economic hardship. We should continue to support smart, affordable initiatives that are making a real difference for millions around the world.

This month over 68,832 ONE Members nationwide and 2,849 in Pennsylvania, signed a petition asking that:

As you work to find a solution to the global financial crisis, please do not waver in your support for the world’s poorest people. It is now more important than ever to stand up for effective, efficient solutions that save millions of lives, strengthen the global economy, and win the hearts and minds of people around the world. I’m keeping my commitment to fight global poverty, and I ask you to do the same.

Even when we face challenges here at home, we must continue to lead, work to strengthen America’s global reputation, and make our world a safer and better place.

-Brian Sweeney

I want to share ONE’s ‘Final Report’ on Senator McCain’s and Senator Obama’s public commitments to address global poverty.

When you go to our On The Record microsite today, you can see McCain’s and Obama’s most up-to-date plans side-by-side. While you’re there, make sure to check out our exclusive video interviews with John McCain and Barack Obama.

ONE is a nonpartisan organization that does not endorse or oppose any candidate, but we do want you to know where the candidates stand as you go to the polls on Tuesday.

-Virginia Simmons

South Florida ONE volunteers were hot on the campaign trail yesterday, representing ONE at back-to-back rallies for Senator John McCain and Senator Barack Obama.

In the morning we went to the Everglades Lumberyard in Miami to hear Senator McCain speak. He was accompanied by fellow Republicans Governor Charlie Crist, Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart and Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Florida’s former Governor and current ONE Vote ’08 Co-Chair, Jeb Bush.

Just a few hours later Senators Obama and Biden held a campaign rally at the Bank Atlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale. Just when we thought we were not going to be able to get in, the security guards let us through and we found great seats just behind the stage.

With the election right around the corner, ONE volunteers are working harder than ever to maintain their strong presence on the campaign trail in Florida and to show the candidates that regardless of party affiliation, fighting global disease and extreme poverty must be a priority in the next administration.

-Sara Paterni

Cindy and John McCain were just about to leave a rally in Downingtown, PA but stopped when they saw my ONE shirt! They came back around and I gave both of them white wristbands, thanking them for their support. Mrs. McCain commented on how much she enjoyed her trip to Rwanda with ONE this summer and Senator McCain thanked me and all of the ONE volunteers he sees at his rallies across the country for being advocates for the world’s poor.

Every voice in the fight against global poverty really does count, whether you have a national podium or a black and white ONE t-shirt in a crowd.

-Lauren Conn

Foreign policy advisors to Sens. Obama and McCain lay out both candidates’ policy objectives for Africa in two separate articles posted on allAfrica.com. The articles are excerpted from remarks made at a recent National Press Club Forum, “U.S.-Africa Policy Agenda and the Next Administration.”

Check ‘em out:

• Obama’s Three Objectives for Continent, by Witney W. Schneidman, an adviser on Africa to Obama
• McCain’s Vision for Freedom, Peace and Prosperity, by J. Peter Pham, a foreign policy and national security advisor

-Steve Wilson