August 08, 2003
CONTACTS:
Maya Israel,
Maya@DraftWesleyClark.com
Josh Margulies,
Josh@DraftWesleyClark.com
John Hlinko,
John@DraftWesleyClark.com
DraftWesleyClark.com Launches “Million Dollar March” Pledge
Drive; Fundraising Includes $1,025 eBay Dinner.
(Washington, DC) August 8, 2003– DraftWesleyClark.com, the
largest effort to draft former General Wesley Clark for
President, today launched a major fundraising drive centered
around a “Million Dollar March” pledge drive for a possible
Clark candidacy. The group has already raised nearly $400,000 in
pledges for the General Fund in the 4 weeks since it began
taking pledges.
MILLION-DOLLAR MARCH: THE “GENERAL
FUND”
The centerpiece of the effort is a “Million Dollar March,” an
effort to raise over $1,000,000 in pledges for a Clark
candidacy, should General Clark choose to run.
“If we can raise this much in pledges without even having a
candidate, just imagine what the numbers will be like when
General Clark himself is leading the charge,” said Josh
Margulies, co-leader of the effort and Treasurer of the
DraftWesleyClark.com PAC. Clark supporters can make a pledge to
the General Fund by visiting www.draftwesleyclark.com/make_pledge.htm
FUNDRAISING FOR THE DRAFT
DraftWesleyClark.com also announced that it has ramped up direct
fundraising to support its own effort. Funds will be used to
help promote the “General Fund” effort, and to continue building
a “campaign in waiting” while the General decides.
“People are hungry for change, and until the General himself
declares, we will continue building a campaign in waiting, ready
to roll from day one,” said John Hlinko, co-leader of the group.
“Thus, to Clark supporters everywhere, we make one simple
promise – you give us the money, and we’ll make change.”
“With expenditures of less than $25,000 -- less than 1/2 of 1%
of what the leading campaigns have spent -- we have spurred tens
of thousands of letters to General Clark, generated hundreds of
thousands of dollars in pledges, spawned hundreds of local
chapters around America, and gained national and international
media attention,” said Hlinko. “But now we are telling Clark
supporters everywhere – put your money where your modem is. Make
a pledge, and tell General Clark that if he runs, you will be
there to support him. To that end, DraftWesleyClark.com has come
up with innovative fundraising techniques also designed to add
some levity into an otherwise dry political season.
FUNDRAISING: EBAY DINNER AUCTION:
$1,025 WINNER!
As part of this effort, the group announced the winner of its
“virtual campaign dinner” on eBay: Ellen Dana Nagler, Santa
Barbara Regional Coordinator of the Draft Wesley Clark effort in
her area. For a winning bid of $1,025, Nagler will receive: 1)
Four army MRE’s (“meals ready to eat”); 2) Four “Draft Wesley
Clark” mugs; 3) Four Clark bars for dessert.
"The Santa Barbara A-list is already jockeying for invitations
to share the feast," said Ellen Dana Nagler, winner of the
auction and. "It's a a good thing it's warm and sunny here,
because today, all of Santa Barbara is feeling one heck of a
'draft.'"
About DraftWesleyClark.com
Launched in April, 2003, DraftWesleyClark.com has
already collected tens of thousands of letters urging General
Clark to run, and built a network of volunteers, ready to serve
– if General Clark chooses to lead. DraftWesleyClark.com has
already been featured on Meet The Press, CBS Evening News,
Crossfire, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox, as well as in the Los Angeles
Times, The New York Times, Esquire and Newsweek.
DraftWesleyClark.com is the largest effort to draft the General.
It is not affiliated with General Clark, but is motivated by
high regard for his solid record of leadership and achievement:
Former supreme commander of NATO; First in his class at West
Point; Vietnam combat veteran; A Rhodes Scholar; A necessary
voice of common sense and moderation on the foreign policy
front. The effort is led by a diverse team including veterans of
a number of grassroots and political efforts. It is
headquartered in Washington, DC, one block from the White House.
For more information, please see www.DraftWesleyClark.com.
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