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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Phoenix, AZ

Arizona Divorces McCain?

Arizona Divorces McCain. Rally and March will be held November 1, 2008. Led by the Phoenix-based End The War Coalition, several progressive organizations, including Progressive Democrats of America, are planning a major rally and march on Saturday, November 1st.

Tim Carpenter, National Director of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) said, "PDA established the Healthcare NOT Warfare Campaign in March to redirect wasteful and unnecessary military spending to meeting human needs at home starting with guaranteed healthcare for all. A McCain presidency would move us much farther from that goal to more expensive healthcare resulting in even more Americans without healthcare. We want healthcare, not warfare, and that's why we need to elect Barack Obama."

The "Arizona Divorces McCain" rally kicks off at 11:00 a.m. at Madison #1 School parking lot, 5525 N. 16th Street, Phoenix. Following the rally, organizers plan to march to McCain's Arizona campaign headquarters and deliver the divorce decree.

Mitch Rubin, a Phoenix attorney and a leader in the End The War Coalition said, "The grounds for the divorce are clear, the people of Arizona will file for divorce based on McCain's continuing support of George Bush's disastrous foreign policy of war and aggression and a domestic policy that rewards the very rich at the expense of the middle and working class and the poor."

Janet Higgins, East Valley PDA organizer said, "We have irreconcilable differences with John McCain and plan to get hundreds, maybe thousands of disgruntled Arizonians to attend the divorce proceeding"

Sitting in as judge will be activist and progressive talk-show host Jeff Farias. The divorce will be presided over by the following witnesses and rally speakers:

• Tim Carpenter - Executive Director Progressive Democrats of America
• Colonel Ann Wright (retired) - resigned from the State Department in protest of Iraq invasion
• Rebekah Friend - Executive Director Arizona AFL-CIO
• Raquel Teran - Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability
• Liz Hourican - Arizona's CODE PINK representative in Washington
• Tupac Acosta - Director of Tonatierra (Indigenous Peoples' Human Rights)
• Hari Nam Khalsa - Arizona Representative of Iraq Veterans Against the War
• Steve Brittle - President of the environmental group Don't Waste Arizona
• Russell Crawford - Student Leader Northern Arizona University Peace and Justice
• Randy Parraz - Political Organizer Laborers' International Union
• Skits by The Tucson Raging Grannies
• Music by The Black River Band, Bear The Astronot, and Marc Pedraza

Kay Grams, a Tempe, Arizona activist with End the War Coalition and PDA, said, "We will not only divorce John McCain but we plan to take the Arizona House, the kids, and the dog. Let's get going, the word is out on the street, now let's spread it even further," in reference to close races for the Arizona House of Representatives where the Republican majority is in serious jeopardy.

The events will start at 11:00 a.m. at Madison #1 School parking lot, 5525 N. 16th Street (16th St. and Missouri), Phoenix, AZ, followed by a march to McCain's office to deliver the divorce decree 2:00 p.m.

Progressive Democrats of America is a grassroots PAC that works both inside the Democratic Party and outside in movements for peace and justice. Our goal: Elect a permanent, progressive majority in 2008. PDA's advisory board includes seven members of Congress and activist leaders such as Tom Hayden, Medea Benjamin, Thom Hartmann, Jim Hightower, and Rev. Lennox Yearwood.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Laura Bonham, PDA Communications Coordinator
Phone: 435-336-2123
Tim Carpenter, Executive Director
Toll Free: 877-239-2093