Press Release
| Media Contact Joe Magid +1 610.506.4595 jsmagid-at-grassrootsforamerica.us |
NATIONAL DRAFT DEAN FOR VP COMMITTEE AIMS FOR 200,000 SIGNATURES
Group champions Howard Dean as the Democratic VP to a combined 1.2 million registered supporters and goes for a Guinness Book record for the world's largest committee
(Los Angeles, CA) Monday, May 24, 2004 — A national petition movement was launched today to create the world's largest vice-presidential draft committee in order to convince the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry, to pick Governor Howard Dean, MD as his running mate. The Draft Dean for VP Committee is hoping to ignite a national grassroots fire to demonstrate to the Kerry campaign and average Americans alike the formidable potential electoral strength of a Kerry/Dean ticket.
A website has been set up to manage the petition campaign at www.draftdeanforvp.org. It appears just as Kerry and Dean have resumed appearances together on the campaign trail. The National Draft Dean for VP Committee was started by grassroots supporters of a Kerry/Dean ticket and is chaired by Becca Doten, Michael Faulkner, and Michael Meurer, formerly of LA for Dean. They are using the same kind of innovative Internet tactics used by Dean's grassroots supporters during the 2003 Democratic primary season. News about the petition drive will be sent out across America on Yahoo!® groups, blogs, through personal email blasts and at Meetups.
The website features the Draft Dean petition, candidate comparisons, a link to donate to the Kerry campaign and even a link to buy Draft Dean for VP merchandise. Website creator and Draft Dean co-founder Michael Meurer said today, “Democrats are looking for a clear, bold alternative to the extreme radicalism of Bush/Cheney Republicans. A Kerry/Dean ticket offers a winning combination of experience and passion that we believe will inspire and motivate voters across the Democratic spectrum as well as moderate Republicans and independents." Citing the combined total of registered supporters for both candidates, Meurer said, “1.2 million active, motivated supporters will be hard to stop!"
Every supporter who fills out the online Draft Dean petition automatically becomes a member of the National Draft Dean for VP Committee. The group's supporters are aiming for a record 200,000 signatures before Kerry selects his VP. Inquiries can be made to Becca Doten, becca-at-draftdeanforvp.org Tel 213-422-2378 or Michael Meurer, mikem-at-draftdeanforvp.org Tel 310-614-6130.