Who would have guessed? When we asked MoveOn members last month for their stories for a Real People ad campaign, we got hundreds of responses from members -- Republicans, Democrats and Independents -- who voted for George Bush in 2000, but will be voting for Kerry in 2004. These stories of disaffection are the most powerful statements we've found about the failed Bush presidency. We will highlight these personal stories in an ad campaign to be televised during the Republican convention -- and we want to know which ones move you the most.
In the last two weeks, Academy Award-winning documentary film director Errol Morris has been interviewing these former Bush voters on camera, and he's cut seventeen ads that tell their stories. We're running a contest to help us choose the ads that will best convince undecided and swing voters to vote for John Kerry. We'll run them during the Republican convention. Vote now at:
http://www.moveonpac.org/morris/
Please vote for your favorites, and then tell your friends about this contest. Votes will be taken until midnight Eastern Time on Wednesday, August 11th, and then we'll put the people's choice winner into final production for airing.
As these ads show, support for George Bush is unraveling, even in his traditional base. We hear every day about more prominent Bush defections, from business leaders to four star generals. At first, the administration tried to silence these voices by launching attacks on people like Richard Clarke, the Bush administration's own counter-terrorism chief. But now there are too many people stepping forward to make that possible. On the same day last week that Bruce Springsteen and dozens of artists announced their Vote for Change tour, Peter Chernin, President and COO of News Corp, which owns Fox News, announced his support for John Kerry.
But the most compelling voices we've heard come from MoveOn members themselves -- Americans from all walks of life deciding that it's time for a change.
If you don't have time to review and rate the ads, but can help support the campaign, go to:
https://www.moveonpac.org/donate/
If we get enough support we'll be airing the best of these ads on nation-wide television during the Republican Convention.
Thanks to the thousands of MoveOn members who submitted personal stories for this campaign, and to those of you who took interviews with Errol Morris. We wish we could have used them all. Thank you for your commitment and courage,
--Wes Boyd and the whole MoveOn PAC team
Monday, August 9th, 2004.
P.S. Here's a note from Errol Morris about his vision for this campaign:
A NOTE FROM ERROL MORRIS
Director of the academy award-winning documentary THE FOG OF WAR.
I have been struck by the eloquence of ordinary citizens. And I have thought in the context of the 2004 campaign, rather than have pollsters talk to the American people, why not have the American people talk to the American people -- in their own words? Who better to express the current concern with the direction in which America is going? Who better to express the dreams and aspirations of Americans? Who better to express their hopes for change?
Many of us have very strong feelings and beliefs about what has happened in the last four years in our country. But there is also a growing concern with what could happen in the next four years. Is this country heading in the right direction? What is our vision of America? Is it being realized?
MoveOn has pioneered a new kind politics with populist roots. It has allowed Americans to speak directly to other Americans.
This is a very simple idea. A different kind of political advertising. Not a prepared speech. Not a voice-over narrative, but rather Americans speaking one on one. Americans speaking to other Americans in their own words, expressing their beliefs and their hopes for the future.
Americans explaining why this election is not just another election, but an election that will define how America is perceived around the world and just as important, what America is for all of us.
None of this can be done -- as in all of what MoveOn has achieved -- without you.
Errol Morris
PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC www.moveonpac.org
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
