Candidates at First Presidential Debate Address Extreme Poverty

Orangesburg, SC, April 26, 2007 — ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History, co-sponsor of the first candidates’ debate of the 2008 Presidential cycle, congratulated the candidates for beginning what will be a year and a half long conversation about pressing global concerns like extreme poverty and global disease at tonight’s debate. The ONE Campaign and the 15,000 local members of ONE are raising awareness in the local community about extreme poverty and global disease.

“Tonight the presidential candidates began to outline their foreign policy proposals to alleviate extreme poverty,” said Susan McCue, CEO of the ONE Campaign. “That focus reflects what ONE’s 2.5 million members have been saying to America’s leaders: that America must increase our efforts to fight extreme poverty and global disease. This debate is only the first of many in which we must discuss these issues and their potential solutions. ONE will continue to be active in communities, schools and churches – everywhere that the most pressing topics are discussed – and the local members of ONE will continue to bring these important issues to our elected leaders’ and candidates’ attention.”

“Representatives Lowey and Bachus and Senators Clinton and Smith deserve thanks for the vision and leadership they have shown with this legislation. We’ll do whatever we can to support their efforts to ensure this bill becomes law and will continue to push governments around the world on this issue,” he said.

“Fighting poverty and improving health in the world’s poorest countries is the goal of the ONE campaign,” said Jim Hodges, former governor of South Carolina. “The candidates tonight understood that the United States must take the lead in addressing these problems. The ONE campaign views the fight against global poverty as a critical moral and national security issue. Simply put, better health and less poverty equals a safer, stronger world.”

“Beyond being essential for lowering poverty, infant mortality and the spread of HIV-AIDS, education is also a critical means for strengthening democracies – particularly for countries coming out of conflict.” said Gene Sperling, Council of Foreign Relations and the Global Campaign for Education. “U.S. leadership in ensuring that all children can attain free, quality basic education is a powerful tool for winning hearts and minds around the world.”

ONE works across the political aisle, encouraging voters and candidates of all parties to make the fight against global AIDS and extreme poverty part of the election debate. The Cities of Clemson and Greenville were both declared a “City of ONE”, joining 90 other cities and five states in becoming “Cities and States of ONE” in support of the campaign. Clemson University is also a “College of ONE”.