ONE Reaches Out to Biden within Seconds of VP Announcement

Washington, D.C. – Within seconds of the announcement of Senator Joe Biden as Barack Obama’s running mate, millions of ONE members across the country started to reach out to the Delaware lawmaker and urge him to make ending extreme poverty a priority for a possible Obama-Biden administration.

“The news today is going to be all about Senator Biden,” ONE President and CEO David Lane said in the 3 a.m. email.  “You can make this political moment a poverty-fighting moment by talking to Joe Biden right now, before he gets swept-up in a blur of coast-to-coast campaigning and the crush of endless media attention.”

“For more than a year, ONE members have been advocating our issues to the presidential candidates.  Our next job is to deliver that same message to the vice presidential picks,” ONE communications director Tom Gavin said.

In the few hours since the announcement, nearly 25,000 ONE members have already sent postcards to Biden, with a simple message:  “Congratulations on being picked to be #2 on the ticket. We hope you’ll be ONE in the fight to end global poverty.”

During his own presidential campaign, Senator Biden made commitments to tackle poverty and diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS and malaria.

“Over one million people die yearly from malaria, a preventable disease. I have long supported efforts to develop a vaccine for malaria, and as President, I would expand these efforts. And I would make it a priority to increase access to prevention tools — we know they work. In the 21st century, no one should be dying from mosquito bites,” Biden told the ONE Campaign in December.  More on his and the other candidates’ proposals are at www.ONEVote08.org/ontherecord.

ONE members have been effective advocates throughout this election cycle, encouraging both candidates to speak out and make commitments to tackle these vital global challenges. As part of ONE”s “On the Record Challenge,” both candidates provided substantial proposals on critical issues including AIDS, malaria, child and maternal health, access to clean water and education.

“With the nominating conventions right around the corner, we want the candidates to know that voters are eager to hear more on their plans to fight poverty and preventable diseases.  There are simple, effective, proven solutions to these challenges, and our next president can lead the way forward,” Gavin said.

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