President Jokes About WMD

Sister of US Soldier Killed in Search for WMD Slams Bush for Crude Joke; $1 Million Battleground States Ad Buy Launches 'Band of Sisters' Tour; Story Shows President Out of Touch with Real-World Consequences of His False Claims

10/22/2004 2:44:00 PM
Contact: Trevor Fitzgibbon, Jessica Smith, 202-822-5200, both of Fenton Communications

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 /U.S. Newswire/ -- A new TV spot featuring Brooke Campbell, the sister of a US soldier killed in Iraq while searching for weapons of mass destruction, will launch the final round of a multi-city tour in battleground states by a group of women -- "Band of Sisters" -- whose loved ones are currently serving in Iraq.

The $1 million ad buy will run from October 25-27 in FL, IA, MN, NV, OH, PA, and WI, paid for by MoveOn PAC, and created by Win Back Respect, an organization formed to respond rapidly to Republican claims about the Iraq war in the final weeks of the presidential campaign.

The ad, titled "He Doesn't Get It," juxtaposes the President making light of his Administration's deception about the presence of WMD in Iraq with a real-world consequence:

George Bush: Those WMD have got to be somewhere...Ha, ha...nope not over here.

Brooke Campbell: I watched President Bush make a joke...my brother died looking for WMD.

Campbell, of Kirksville MO, lost her brother Ryan on April 29 in a suicide bomber attack in Iraq. Sgt. Ryan Campbell, who was working to disable land mines when he was killed, had deep misgivings about the Bush Administration's rationale for war in Iraq.

"I was talking to my brother and realizing that even someone who wanted very desperately to believe the story we had been told as a nation, just couldn't do it," Campbell said.

"I think it's an unpardonable crime to ask somebody to risk his or her life for something that is impossible to believe in. That's why I'm speaking out now. I think it is a critical moment when we have to decide, as a nation, not to continue to follow bad leadership," she concluded.

"This ad shows just how out of touch with reality this President is. It is hard to imagine an appropriate joke in connection with such a costly deception. Bush's reckless rush to war in Iraq- based on false claims like the existence of WMD-has resulted in thousands of US deaths and casualties," said Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn PAC.

MoveOn PAC raised $1.2 million from 18,477 members in the first twelve hours of an appeal to help get the ad on the air. In addition to the ad buy, a website run by Win Back Respect -- http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?R...rookesstory.com -- has been launched to tell how Brooke Campbell's life changed as a result of President Bush's disastrous Iraq policy.

Matt Bennett, spokesperson for Win Back Respect said, "Brooke's story is not unique. She is joined by women from around the country who are horrified by the cavalier way in which George Bush has put their loved ones in harms way in Iraq."

Brooke Campbell is a member of Win Back Respect's 'Band of Sisters'-a courageous group of women whose loved ones are or were serving in Iraq and who are touring the country speaking out about the administration's policies See: http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?R...backrespect.org

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View New TV Ad at http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?R...rookesstory.com

Transcript of TV Ad:

MoveOn PAC/Win Back Respect

TV :30

"Doesn't Get It"

MOP-601

VIDEO

OPEN ON FOOTAGE OF BUSH IN A TUXEDO. HE IS SPEAKING TO SUPPORTERS AT A MARCH 2004 EVENT IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

AUDIO

George Bush: Those weapons of mass destruction gotta be somewhere.

VIDEO

CUT TO A STILL IMAGE OF GEORGE BUSH IN THE OVAL OFFICE. HE IS BENT OVER, LOOKING UNDER A TABLE. FADE TO BLACK.

AUDIO

George Bush (VO): Nope. No weapons over there.

VIDEO

FADE UP ON A STILL IMAGE OF SGT. RYAN CAMPBELL STANDING NEXT OT A YOUNG IRAQI GIRL. SUPER TEXT: '36 DAYS LATER - SGT. RYAN CAMPBELL KILLED IN IRAQ.' THEN CUT BACK TO BUSH IN TUXEDO. THEN CUT TO SGT. CAMPBELL'S SISTER, BROOKE CAMPBELL, SITTING ON A COUCH; SHE IS SPEAKING.

AUDIO

Brooke Campbell: My brother died in Baghdad on April 29th. I watched President Bush make a joke, looking around for weapons of mass destruction. My brother died looking for weapons of mass destruction.

VIDEO

CUT TO A NEW STILL IMAGE OF SGT. CAMPBELL, THIS TIME WITH HIS MOTHER. THEN CUT TO A COLLAGE OF NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS WITH HEADLINES INDICATING: 'FINAL REPORT: IRAQ HAD NO WMD'.

AUDIO

Announcer (VO): Over 1,000 troops like Ryan have died in Iraq. Yet there never were any weapons. George Bush. He just doesn't get it.

VIDEO

CUT BACK TO BUSH IN THE TUXEDO, IN SLOW MOTION. AT SCREEN BOTTOM, SUPER FULL MOVEON PAC DISCLAIMER.

AUDIO

Announcer 2 (VO): MoveOn PAC is responsible for the content of this advertisement.