Over 130,000 calls against impeachment so far
As the Republican leadership steers Congress toward a fateful decision on impeachment that defies the will of the American public, People For the American Way today released new radio spots that will begin airing Tuesday evening in targeted markets nationwide encouraging Americans to call Congress and make their voice heard. The ads urge listeners to call the toll-free line (1-877-TO-MOVE-ON) that more than 130,000 callers have used since Dec. 9 to call Capitol Hill.
"The congressional leadership is hoping the American people are too preoccupied to notice what's happening in Congress," said Carole Shields, president of People For the American Way. "But the people are proving them wrong. Constituents are calling their representatives to say they will not accept this political assassination of the president, and our ads are backing them up."
"In the elections and in every opinion poll since then, the people have made it clear that they want Congress to move on - away from scandal and on to the people's business, but the congressional leadership has ignored them," Shields said. "We have to beat on the door until Congress listens."
The 30-second radio ads will begin running Tuesday, Dec. 15, in media markets targeted to the districts of swing House members. The ads will begin airing in Philadelphia, Columbus and Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, with subsequent buys to be determined. The script of the ad follows on the second page of this release.
The toll-free number 1-877-TO-MOVE-ON was set up by People For the American Way as part of its $2 million pre-election ad campaign to give Americans fed up with Congress' continuing obsession with impeachment a way to make their voices heard. Callers to the number are routed directly to the congressional switchboard, free of charge.
The number began operating on Wednesday, Dec. 9, and will be available until Wednesday, Dec. 16. The service is being provided jointly by PFAW, Working Assets Long Distance and www.moveon.org, the largest anti-impeachment Internet organizing group. Moveon.org has collected more than 350,000 petition signatures against impeachment and is continuing to forward tens of thousands of e-mail messages from its online members to their members of Congress.
Both People For and Moveon.org are using their web sites and e-mail to encourage Americans to call Congress and make their views known.
The radio spot can be downloaded from the World Wide Web using RealAudio. To do this, visit the following address at PFAW's website: www.pfaw.org/moveon/
People For the American Way is a 300,000 member nonpartisan civil liberties organization. For more information or to arrange interviews, contact People For the American Way's press office at 202-467-4999.
Note to Broadcast Assignment Editors: A People For the American Way phone bank will be operating Tuesday evening in Washington, D.C.. To arrange to film the phone bank, contact our Washington office at 202-467-4999.
TEXT OF RADIO SPOT -- 30 seconds
Woman: You know, I can't believe this -- they're actually going to vote to impeach the President this week.
Man: Oh, come on! I mean, how many times do we have to tell Congress to move on?
Woman: Thank you. That's what the election was all about.
Man: Why don't they censure him? You know, call him names, get it out of their system!
Woman: You know what we are going to have? Six months of an impeachment trial.
Man: Six months!
Woman: The country's going to be paralyzed. And you know who is going to suffer?
Man: We will.
Woman: You've got it.
Man: Let's call our Congressman. 1-877-TO-MOVE-ON.
Woman: That's 1-877-TO-MOVE-ON.
Man: Let's tell Congress we've got to move on.
Paid for by People For the American Way.